MIAMI GARDENS — Dolphins left guard Liam Eichenberg is in a fight for his starting job. It’s familiar territory.
Nothing has been gifted to Eichenberg, the 2021 second-round pick, since the day he arrived in the NFL, and that’s the case again this year. The Dolphins, who frown upon public reports of position battles, are glimpsing at least one other player at starting left guard during training camp.
But here’s what I like about Eichenberg: he’s always going to give you the honest truth, and he delivered again Thursday after practice, on a podium, cameras rolling, microphones recording, in a very public setting.
Among his brutally honest admissions: “I’ve just got to keep coming out here and working every single day, doing what they ask me to do.”
“I would say just getting my footwork down faster, that’s probably the biggest thing, run and pass.”
“I’ve just got to get down quicker and make sure you’re not taking too big of a first step is something I need to hone in on and continue to prove I’m getting that first step down and get that second step going.”
Those are all things many NFL players usually wouldn’t admit publicly because it puts a vulnerability out there, gives your detractors something to look for and use against you.
Eichenberg doesn’t care. He chose to be honest and make his reality public.
I respect that about Eichenberg.
However, respect isn’t going to get him a starting job. Eichenberg, who has the fortune, or misfortune, of facing defensive lineman Christian Wilkins on a regular basis, is being given the chance to succeed.
The good thing about facing Wilkins, who has easily been the best performer in training camp, is Eichenberg has a chance to turn heads by playing well.
The bad thing about facing Wilkins is Wilkins doesn’t often give anyone a chance to play well.
Wilkins, quite frankly, has eaten up every defender put in front of him in training camp, including Eichenberg.
Coach Mike McDaniel understands how well Wilkins is playing. He also understands Eichenberg has a tendency to revert to bad habits, and it’s a tendency the Dolphins are trying to end.
“That’s where our biggest problems came were people reverting, and he’s right now doing a great job,” McDaniel said.
“But what’s going to happen when the d-line is turned up today? OK, then what’s going to happen next week when you have different people? Those are the things that are monumental for him, as well as all the guys that have been here, to really make sure that what we’re doing on a day-to-day basis is ingrained and not just a practice technique.”
Eichenberg was drafted as a left tackle out of Notre Dame, where he teamed with Denver offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey to form a fearsome duo.
Eichenberg started 14 games at left tackle as a rookie (and two at right tackle) but the Dolphins shifted Eichenberg to left guard last season after acquiring Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead in free agency.
Eichenberg struggled. Then, worse, he missed seven games after sustaining a left knee injury and having surgery.
Nothing about this process has been easy.
“I’m very hard on myself,” Eichenberg said. “I get frustrated at times and just need to continue to work and continue to do what they want me to do and continue the techniques I’m being taught right now.”
Eichenberg, as I’ve noted before, has a younger brother, Tommy, who is an All-American linebacker at Ohio State.
“We talk every once in a while,” Liam said about Tommy. “I think he starts up camp today. In the offseason I talk to him more, but now that he’ll start up I let him do his thing. It’s long days.”
Liam got some looks at center during OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and minicamp because center Connor Williams was holding out due to a contract dispute. But those days are over.
“It was fun,” he said. “I think it’s just something that makes you more versatile. But at the end of the day, I want to play left guard here so I just need to continue working on that.”
