Rob Hunt reaches agreement with Panthers as mass exodus of Dolphins talent continues
The Miami Dolphins will no longer have reliable right guard Robert Hunt anchoring the offensive line.
Hunt agreed to terms with the Carolina Panthers, according to multiple reports on Monday as free agent negotiations began across the NFL. Hunt’s deal is a massive one for an interior offensive lineman, a reported five years for $100 million.
Hunt started 55 games for Miami over the past four seasons — the last three at right guard while starting off at right tackle as a rookie — since he was a second-round pick for the team in the 2020 draft out of Louisiana.
He was a reliable blocker in the run and pass game and often available before back-to-back hamstring injuries caused him to miss seven starts in 2023.
Hunt’s greatest Dolphins highlight, though, may be the time he was thrown a short pass near the goal line in a 2021 Thursday night game against the Baltimore Ravens, ran toward the end zone with the football and dove into the end zone — only to have the incredibly acrobatic effort for the 330-pound lineman to be nullified because he wasn’t an eligible receiver.
The loss of Hunt followed losses of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to the Las Vegas Raiders, outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel to the Minnesota Vikings and safety Brandon Jones to the Denver Broncos earlier Monday.
It was telling that the offensive guard market would be a lucrative one when Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowler Landon Dickerson agreed to a four-year extension worth $84 million Monday morning before the start of free agency.
Last week, the Los Angeles Rams locked in fellow guard Kevin Dotson for three years and $48 million before he hit free agency.
The Dolphins have interior offensive line holes to fill this offseason with all three starters at the beginning of last season — guards Hunt and Isaiah Wynn and center Connor Williams — free agents.
As Hunt got his big payday with Carolina, Williams and Wynn are coming off season-ending injuries, further complicating their offseasons.
Miami, on Sunday night, reached an agreement with reserve guard Robert Jones before he hit restricted free agency after his first three professional seasons. The Dolphins also have 2021 second-round pick Liam Eichenberg under contract in 2024.
They have their starting tackles in line for next season, with Terron Armstead set to return on the left side after considering retirement and Austin Jackson locked in long term on the right side. But the Dolphins also need a backup tackle with veteran Kendall Lamm a free agent and given Armstead’s injury history.
