Kadyn Proctor’s rookie year with the Dolphins is set to begin in one place and one place only: left guard.
Jeff Hafley made that clear Tuesday in his pre-camp press conference, shutting down the idea that Miami would cross-train its prized first-round pick at tackle when training camp practices begin Wednesday. The coaching staff, Hafley said, is sticking with the same approach it used during the offseason program.
"He's going to start off at left guard and try to get good at one position," Hafley said. "I think that's fair to him, and it's the best thing.
Ultimately, we need to do what's best for our team. In this case, I think it's best for him and I think it's best for our team.
So that's what we decided to start, and we'll go from there."
That plan appears to be locked in for now, even if injuries or other changes eventually force the issue. For the moment, the Dolphins are treating the 12th overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft as a guard, not a tackle.
It’s a familiar kind of decision for Miami. The team took a similar path with Laremy Tunsil in 2016, when the 13th overall pick - a college left tackle at Mississippi - opened his Dolphins career at left guard because Branden Albert was already holding down left tackle. Tunsil did get work at both spots that summer, but the starting point was guard.
Miami has also seen what can happen when a lineman is bounced around early. Liam Eichenberg, a 2021 second-round pick, cross-trained in his first camp and never really found his footing before a serious leg injury left his future uncertain. Austin Jackson, meanwhile, spent his entire rookie training camp at left tackle before later position changes came into play.
That’s why the argument for keeping Proctor in one spot carries real weight. Even if Austin Jackson were to miss time again, the Dolphins are not one offensive lineman away from being a playoff team this season, and Proctor’s long-term development matters more than chasing short-term flexibility.
The bigger question is what comes next in 2027 and beyond. The expectation is that Proctor eventually lands at tackle, likely on the right side to follow Austin Jackson or possibly on the left if Patrick Paul becomes difficult to extend. Proctor’s college résumé at Alabama points that way, and the Dolphins have not publicly mapped out anything beyond his rookie season.
Still, the debate around the pick is hard to miss. Tackles generally matter more than guards, and using the 12th overall pick on a player who ends up spending his career inside would not feel like the best return on draft capital. Even if Proctor develops into a Pro Bowl or All-Pro guard, the Dolphins could still look back and wonder if they got the most out of the selection.
For now, though, the path is simple. Proctor starts at left guard, and Miami will build from there.
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It is the kind of low-profile roster housekeeping that can matter later, especially when teams are sorting through camp bodies and looking for a player who fits a specific need. Miami was not the only club doing that kind of business, either, with four former Dolphins trying out for Washington and punter Matt Haack reportedly landing a contract there, a reminder that this part of the calendar is as much about opportunity as it is about depth charts. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Just Landed On One Brutal List After Daniel Jones Bet
The Colts Daniel Jones bet landed them on an unflattering offseason list, but it also fits a broader pattern around the league: teams are paying for possibility as much as production. Indianapolis is not alone in that instinct. Miami made a similarly aggressive quarterback investment in Malik Willis despite his limited NFL rsum, a move that says plenty about how front offices are weighing upside against certainty this time of year.
It is the kind of market that can make a splash look smart in March and reckless by November. Jones is coming off a serious injury, Willis has only a handful of starts behind him, and the Steelers even added Aaron Rodgers on a short-term deal built around one last run. For teams like the Dolphins, the lesson is obvious enough: when the quarterback market gets this thin, the price of chasing a fix can be steep, and the real verdict usually takes a while to arrive. [Read more 🡒]