Two months after the start of free agency and a week after the NFL Draft, the Dolphins finally have a complete offensive line.
After working out four veteran offensive tackles this week and debating a trade for Kansas City’s Braden Albert, the Dolphins will be signing former Falcons right tackle Tyson Clabo to a 1-year deal today, according to his agent, Chad Speck.
Clabo was a seven-year starter for the Falcons, but they released him in April to save $4.5 million against the salary cap. Clabo, 31, will start at right tackle this year, and second-year pro Jonathan Martin will be the Dolphins’ left tackle.
Martin, the team’s 2012 second-round pick, started the first 12 games at right tackle last year, but started 37 games at left tackle at Stanford and the final four games of 2012 for the Dolphins after Jake Long suffered a season-ending triceps injury.
The Dolphins chose Clabo over Eric Winston and Winston Justice, who both worked out with Clabo in front of the Dolphins’ coaches this week.
Despite getting cut by Atlanta, Clabo was productive last year. He allowed five sacks in 16 games, but the website Pro Football Focus rated him as the fifth-best right tackle in the league last year, and 14th-best offensive tackle overall.
Clabo also doesn’t have an injury history, starting all 80 games over the past five years.
Signing Clabo carries little risk. If he plays well this season, he’s young enough that the Dolphins could look to bring him back for another one or two years. And if he doesn’t play well, the Dolphins can move on from him next year.
The Dolphins’ other options at right tackle include primary backup Nate Garner, rookie G/T Dallas Thomas, who played left tackle at Tennessee, and former tight end Will Yeatman, an athletic player who might be developed as the right tackle of the future.
