Jonah Savaiinaea has opportunity to earn starting job at new spot

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - OCTOBER 30: Jonah Savaiinaea #72 of the Miami Dolphins looks on from the sideline during the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at Hard Rock Stadium on October 30, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Miami Dolphins selected offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea from Arizona with the 37th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft with the idea that he would help solidify a unit that had struggled mightily to protect the team's quarterbacks over the previous few seasons. Instead, the young player only added to those struggles while starting all 17 games at left guard for the Dolphins last year.

With Miami taking Kadyn Proctor out of Alabama with pick #12 in the 2026 NFL Draft, and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan stating he'll get an opportunity to start at left guard this year, that left Savaiinaea without a solidified spot on the offensive line.

Until now.

On Tuesday, new offensive line coach Zach Yenser met with the South Florida media and confirmed that Savaiinaea will be moving to right guard in 2026.

I think he's going to be better and have more confidence switching back over to the right [side]. He has a lot of built-up reps on the right side. And that's what we're going to do right now. I know Sully made that comment that we're going to keep Kadyn at left and move [Jonah]. That was a big part of the whole draft process too. That was a conversation we had with Jonah when we first got here of like, hey man, you played on the right side [in college]. I mean, he was excited to be able to have an opportunity if we drafted the right guy to move back over to the right side."

Rookie offensive linemen often disappoint in today's National Football League. The good news for Savaiinaea? He would be hard-pressed to play worse in 2026 than he did in 2025 - when he ranked 81st out of 81 qualifying guards according to Pro Football Focus. We will see if Miami's new coaching staff - plus a move back to the right side of the offensive line - will allow Savaiinaea to turn his game around enough to start for the Dolphins this season.