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Dolphins rookie first-round draft pick Kadyn Proctor will line up initially on the left side of the offensive line at practice, and second-year player Jonah Savaiineaa will move back to his college position of right guard during the team\u2019s offseason program.<\/p>\n
Those were among the biggest revelations from general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan during a Wednesday morning chat with WQAM\u2019s Joe Rose.<\/p>\n
If Proctor stays on the left side this season, that would mean playing left guard alongside left tackle Patrick Paul.<\/p>\n
It also would mean that Austin Jackson would remain the team\u2019s right tackle and Savaiinaea and Jamaree Salyer would compete for the right guard spot. Savaiinaea started all 17 games at left guard as a rookie last season.<\/p>\n
Proctor, selected 12th overall by the Dolphins in last week\u2019s draft, started 26 games at left tackle for Alabama the past two years, and he\u2019s expected to end up at tackle at some point in his career.<\/p>\n
But the Dolphins\u2019 intentions to start him on the left side suggest they prefer him at left guard this season, unless they decide otherwise.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think probably Day 1, I think he\u2019s probably lining up at left guard,\u201d Sullivan said of Proctor. \u201cWe will fortify and move Jonah to the right side and off we go. But it\u2019s moving pieces all the time. We want to get the best five out there. That\u2019s probably how it looks Day 1, and we\u2019ll go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sullivan said Proctor would play tackle and guard in practice \u201cbecause we always like to cross-train.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Proctor, Sullivan said: \u201cWe added a big offensive linemen who can play four spots. We are excited with Kadyn with the combination of [center Aaron Brewer] and Paul and Jonah taking a step and Austin coming back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Asked by Rose about bypassing UM star Rueben Bain Jr. in the draft, Sullivan said: \u201cI\u2019m a huge fan of Rueben Bain. The guy is going to be a really good player in this league. There\u2019s not a lot to not like. But Proctor was our guy all along. We felt he was a rare unique talent. We were very much in alignment throughout the building. He was my guy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was apparent to us this kid is prideful. He\u2019s got 271 pounds of lean muscle mass; he\u2019s never going to be little. He\u2019s learned lessons and turning corners and growing about being a professional athlete, and we feel very good about where he is today.\u201d<\/p>\n
Proctor mushroomed to 400 pounds as a freshman, but Sullivan emerged from his predraft visit confident that his weight won\u2019t be an issue. He\u2019s now listed in the 350 range.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t want to go back to that,\u201d Sullivan said. \u201cThat\u2019s what he indicated to me time and time again. [He said], \u2018I got heavy. I didn\u2019t feel myself athletically. I\u2019m not going back to that.\u2019 We felt the talent was rare, and the person was right and the things he needs to do will be on point.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dolphins apparently hope that moving Savaiinaea back to his college position of right guard will help him improve after a rookie season in which he led all NFL guards in most sacks and most quarterback pressures allowed. Pro Football Focus rated him the worst guard in the league last season.<\/p>\n
Savaiinaea, former offensive line coach Butch Barry and former coach Mike McDaniel all insisted that moving to the left side did not contribute to his struggles last season.<\/p>\n
The Dolphins told Salyer that he will be given a chance to compete for a starting guard job. But the fact that Sullivan volunteered Savaiinaea\u2019s name on Wednesday suggested the Dolphins are not giving up on him as a starter if he can win the job this summer.<\/p>\n
Salyer, for his part, \u201cis a big man, provides another piece of depth and makes that room more competitive,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
More from Sullivan<\/p>\n
Sullivan addressed other issues:<\/p>\n
\u25aa On wide receiver: He said 94th overall pick \u201cChris Bell\u2019s talent is through the roof. He\u2019s obviously coming off an injury. We want to make sure we handle that the right way so we have him long-term and a healthy version of him. When he gets back in time [from his November ACL injury], he has a chance to be a difference-maker… That guy can tilt the field for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the Dolphins \u201cwere a big fan\u201d of 75th overall pick Caleb Douglas: \u201cHe\u2019s unique, has a 6-3-and-change body type, long limbs.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut he can drop his weight, get lateral, get in and out of cuts, quick feet. We felt he\u2019s not as good as he\u2019s going to be. We felt he has upside. Douglas and [former Missouri receiver] Kevin Coleman can line up inside, outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sullivan said he\u2019s \u201ca big fan of Malik Washington; he\u2019s a good player.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa He envisions draft pick Kyle Louis, the former Pittsburgh safety\/linebacker, as a \u201cvery versatile player who fills a big nickel role.\u201d At other times, \u201che can slide into the WILL back in sub packages.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa He said cornerback Chris Johnson, drafted 27th overall, can play in nickel (in the slot) on third down and outside on earlier downs.<\/p>\n
\u25aa The Dolphins will have $22 million in cap space when Bradley Chubb comes off the books June 1. About half of that will be needed to sign a draft class and practice squad.<\/p>\n
But Sullivan reiterated that he\u2019s not going to go on a spending splurge with the remaining cap space.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe may add a vet here or there, but it\u2019s not going to jump out to people,\u201d he said. \u201cProbably to plug a hole or more depth than anything else. No big ticket items.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Dolphins can carry over that space to the 2027 offseason, when they already have $144 million in space.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will continue to churn the roster to find the right guys,\u201d Sullivan said.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Of the two tight ends drafted, Sullivan said Will Kacmarek \u201cis known as an elite blocker, but he can go catch it. Keydou Traore has a ton of athletic traits and a ton of upside as a catcher.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u25aa He reiterated that \u201cyou can\u2019t fix it all in one weekend, and we know that. But we feel very good about what we added to our team. These guys are working. We have some undervalued players already in this building. We\u2019re headed in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n
This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 10:00 AM.<\/p>\n