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“The starting point of any deep ball, any three-step drop, anything that we’re doing, the focus has been on protection and how can we protect the quarterback better,” Philbin said. “One of the major problems, we feel like, and the reason we haven’t scored the points you need to score to consistently win in the National Football League is we haven’t protected the quarterback well enough. That’s the starting point.”
Philbin, at this early point of free agency, thinks the Dolphins have done well in reconstructing an offensive line that returns Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey but needed to find four starters entering the off-season.
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“I think we’re much closer,” Philbin said. “I think we’re definitely close. I think if you look at Branden Albert, we studied the tape, there’s some really good clips of him on the back side in Kansas City, and on the front side, doing things on outside zone plays that you want an offensive tackle to do.”
Albert, a Pro Bowl selection for Kansas City last season, got high praise from Chiefs coach Andy Reid.
“He’s one of those guys he’ll shore up that left spot for Joe,” Reid said. “He won’t have to worry about it run or pass game. And then he’ll be great for that room. As good a players as he is, he’s a great man.”
Philbin said the Dolphins would continue to use a zone blocking scheme under offensive coordinator Bill Lazor and offensive line coach John Benton. Smith, who played for St. Louis the last two seasons and Houston as a rookie, is familiar with the zone blocking concept.
“Shelley got most of his early coaching in that system in Houston,” said Rams coach Jeff Fisher.
General manager Dennis Hickey, whose team has the No. 19 pick in the draft, said signing Albert and Smith is only the beginning of rebuilding the offensive line.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miam ... 5383.story