The Miami Dolphins entered the 2026 NFL Draft with a large number of holes to fill on their roster.
That was one of the reasons the team’s selection of offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor was seen as somewhat of a surprise. Proctor, who was No. 18 on the consensus board, was the starting left tackle for Alabama, a position the Dolphins already have covered with Patrick Paul, who had a strong first full season as a starter in 2025.
Additionally, the team restructured right tackle Austin Jackson’s contract, which means the veteran tackle will be part of the Dolphins in the 2026 season. While Proctor could feasibly become Miami’s future right tackle in 2027, some questioned whether the team selecting a player with a focus on 2027 was the right move.
However, Miami general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan recently announced that Proctor will be starting for the Dolphins as he will replace one of the most disappointing players on the 2025 team.
Miami Dolphins Announce Kadyn Proctor as Left Guard
General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan told Miami Dolphins radio host Joe Rose that the team plans to play Kadyn Proctor at left guard, but he will cross train at tackle as well.
The move means that former second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea, who started 17 games at left guard as a rookie, will move to right guard, which is the position he primarily played in college. Savaiinaea was among the Dolphins’ most disappointing players last season, as the team traded up for him in the draft as they hoped he would be able to make an immediate impact on the team’s offensive line.
Instead, Savaiinaea struggled to make the transition to left guard. He was graded by Pro Football Focus as the worst qualified guard in the NFL last season. According to PFF, he was the worst pass blocking guard and third-worst run blocking guard.
Sullivan had previously announced that aside from Patrick Paul and Aaron Brewer, the rest of the spots on the offensive line would be up for grabs. Regarding Savaiinaea, Sullivan said, “Savaiinaea will be the first one to tell you he has got to be more consistent.”
Miami’s Kadyn Proctor Decision
Additionally, Sullivan spoke on the decision to draft Proctor as he told Joe Rose, “We were going to pick who we deemed the best player available… Proctor was our guy all along. We felt like he was a rare, unique talent – a man that size, with the athletic ability he has… that was my guy and if he was there I was going to take him.”
With Proctor projected to be alongside Patrick Paul on the left side on the offensive line, the Miami Dolphins have impressive size. Both Paul and Proctor measured in at 6-foot-7, making them the two largest linemen on the team. Regarding Miami adding size, Sullivan said, “It’s important to me that this team looks a certain way and moves a certain way. I believe it’s a big man’s game. That’s not to say that there’s not really good players in the league that are on the smaller side. We know that there’s a lot of them, but yeah, we want to build this team big, physical at all positions and have a size advantage.”
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