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The Miami Dolphins’ plan to play Connor Williams at center in the 2022 season appears signed, sealed and delivered through the team’s two-day mandatory minicamp that wrapped up on Thursday.
After coach Mike McDaniel mentioned Williams as an option at the new position for him last week during organized team activities, Williams spoke on Thursday as if he is fully transitioned to the role, in place to remain there when the Dolphins pick up training camp in late July.
“I think I’ve definitely enjoyed the position, definitely this offense and this scheme,” Williams said. “I think playing center brings out my strengths, and they’ve been very patient with me. Learning the position and learning the ins and outs with it has growing pains. I’ve enjoyed it. I’ve enjoyed the transition.”
Williams, in his 57 games played and 51 starts over four NFL seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, has exclusively played guard, outside of some practice and preseason snaps last training camp with Dallas. The decision was made following his signing during the first week of free agency in March, with new offensive coordinator Frank Smith and offensive line coach Matt Applebaum approaching him about the change.
“I think once I was on the team and once it was decided, just moving pieces around and deciding who fit best where, I think it just came up,” Williams said. “We took it head-on from there. I think it’s been smooth.”
Williams said playing center is the plan “as of now… but then again, wherever I’m needed.”
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel identified versatility in Williams’ blocking abilities when he originally pursued him in free agency.
“There’s so many things that can happen, and you’re only as good as your versatility within the NFL framework of a season,” McDaniel said previously.
Williams noted Travis Frederick and Alex Mack as other NFL centers he has learned from about the position before this offseason’s transition.
The Dolphins’ offensive line has prized free agent acquisition Terron Armstead slotted to play left tackle once he is fully recovered from an offseason procedure on his right knee. Liam Eichenberg would be moving off of that spot after completing his rookie season as the starting left tackle. McDaniel has mentioned Austin Jackson, who last year moved from left tackle to left guard, as seeing work at right tackle, which could open up the opportunity for Eichenberg to play left guard.
More like training camp
McDaniel noted during the two-day mandatory minicamp that the team has been treating it as something closer to what Dolphins players will experience in late July’s training camp than Miami’s previous two weeks of practice in organized team activities.
“From an operational standpoint, we adjusted a little bit to kind of coincide with training camp,” McDaniel said. “They are getting a taste of what the training camp day is like, minus the pads, obviously, so it’s a little different. This particular minicamp, we’re doing a collection of all the stuff we’ve installed as an offense, defense and special teams.”
He called minicamp a “continuation of” OTAs, but with unique aspects like a non-scripted period of practice that the Dolphins ran on Wednesday, which is something more typical of being a week or two into training camp.
McDaniel added that the team’s training camp schedule will remain the same, despite the early glimpse at something more like camp during this minicamp portion of the offseason workout program.
The Dolphins still have one more week going back to organized team activities after the conclusion of this week’s minicamp.
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