Miami Dolphins 90-in-90 roster breakdown 2019: Shaq Calhoun

On to day two of our 90-in-90 series, taking a look at the Miami Dolphins’ roster and breaking down each player. Some players are obvious fits for the roster and some are long-shots. To start our series yesterday, we took a look at a depth player that likely makes the 53-man roster at the end of the preseason. Today, we look at an undrafted free agent who needs to impress in training camp to earn a depth spot.

The Dolphins’ offensive line has been a weak point for the franchise for too long. Even when they have dominating, Pro-Bowl type players like Mike Pouncey or Laremy Tunsil, the five-man unit never seems to be able to get onto the same page for the entire season. As the coaching staff looks to end that, could a player like guard Shaq Calhoun have a role?

2018 Review

Calhoun, whose first name is Deion but he goes by Shaq, spent five years at Mississippi State, red-shirting in 2014, then working as a reserve right guard in 2015. He moved into the starting lineup in 2016 before an injury shorted his season. He continued as the starting right guard in 2017, then again in 2018, starting all 13 games each season. He was named second-team All-SEC as a senior. He only allowed three sacks during his time at Mississippi State.

Contract

Three-years, $1.755 million. $495,000 salary camp number in 2019.

Why he will progress

He is a rookie coming into the league at 23-years-old. He has a ton of time to develop. He has the potential to become a solid starter in the league, but he has technique and fundamentals work to do.

Why he might regress

An undrafted free agent is never a sure thing, and Calhoun has to work on his footwork and not being beat by the speed of NFL defensive linemen. The potential is there, but it can be rough sometimes. He is not an ideal NFL guard size, where Jesse Davis is 6-foot-6 and third-round pick Michael Deiter is 6-foot-5, Calhoun is 6-foot-2.

Chances of making the 53-man roster

Miami currently has 15 offensive linemen on their roster, with somewhere around nine of them likely to make the 53-man roster. Isaac Asiata was released, which is good for Calhoun as another guard is off the roster, but it is probably still an uphill battle for the UDFA. He feels more like a practice squad player than a rostered player right now, but he does have a chance to make a case once the pads come on this summer.