The Dolphins drafted Laremy Tunsil to become their left tackle of tomorrow. As for now, though, the first-rounder isn't quite ready for prime time.
Beginning his pro career at left guard, Tunsil is currently notched behind the embattled Daniel Thomas, making it no sure bet the rookie starts Week 1.
"He's got a lot to learn," Gase said Sunday, per Armando Salguero of The Miami Herald. "... That inside (position at guard) is a different angle. He's learning. The good thing about him is he works hard."
Tunsil saw his first NFL action with Miami's second-team offense in Friday's preseason win over the New York Giants. He hardly stood out, but coaches noticed the rookie making an open-field block that freed up first-year receiver Jakeem Grant for a 24-yard gain.
Ready or not, Tunsil could see meaningful snaps sooner than later if Thomas continues to struggle. A hot-button target for Dolphins fans, Thomas said Sunday that he's completely abandoned social media and shut out his critics.
Gase, however, isn't panicking. After giving both Thomas and Tunsil first-team reps in Sunday's practice, the new Dolphins coach emphasized that Miami is still mixing and matching players to find the line combination that best suits his offense.
"I know everybody is itching to fire everybody and bench everybody," Gase said. "And I understand some people are concerned about every single little thing. When certain people have history, guys who have been here in the past, I know you form opinions. But I said this right from the start: Everybody has a fresh start with this crew."
Said Gase: "Everybody is going to get a true evaluation. We'll make our final decision the first game of the season. That's what we're going to do. This is a process that we go to go through."
