The Miami Dolphins ultimately never signed a big-name left tackle in free agency, but they did add dyed-in-the-wool right-sider Tyson Clabo.
His arrival means that second-year pro Jonathan Martin will take over for the departed Jake Long at left tackle, where Martin thrived at Stanford. Following an offseason of frantic free-agent signings, the success of Miami's rebuilt offense arguably boils down to how Martin adjusts.
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"I'm excited. It's a position I want to play, obviously," he told the team's official website. "I'm excited for the challenge, I'm excited for the opportunity, so I'm going to try to make the most of it during these OTAs and do whatever I can to help this team win."
Martin struggled mightily as a rookie on the right side. ProFootballFocus graded him 76th out of 80 qualifying offensive tackles, but his teammates saw something different when he stepped in at bookend for an injured Long in December.
"He's more fluid over there," center Mike Pouncey said this week. "You can tell when he's kick sliding that way he's more comfortable being in a left-handed stance. Obviously, he wanted to play over there last year, but he was forced to play the right side, and I think he's going to do a great job."
Martin must improve his pass protection, but there's something to be said for returning to a position he knows well. If he can package away last year's troubles and pick up where he left off at Stanford, the Dolphins will be in good shape up front.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
