Any time there’s a proposed free agent signing in Miami, there are a few simple rules that can be applied to decipher if it would be a fit for the 2019 Dolphins.
Is he still young? Or is he quite old?
Donald Penn is 35 years of age. So far, so good.
Is he highly regarded as a team leader?
Penn openly welcomed the chance to tutor two rookie offensive tackles in Oakland last year.
Does he have any connections to someone in the front office?
Penn has spent the last several years on the Oakland Raiders, who at the time were under the leadership of now-Dolphins executive Reggie McKenzie.
Will he come cheap?
Yes. Penn turns 36 in April and only started four games last season, missing the rest of the year with a groin injury. Add in poor play in those four games and the easy assumption is that Donald Penn is over the hill.
But what about as a potential “culture” guy who can offer some sage wisdom to Laremy Tunsil and whomever is playing right tackle? If Penn decides he isn’t done with the game, Miami would be a logical destination to tab him.
Assuming the price is right, of course. Penn was cut by the Raiders, so there’s no need to fret over potential compensatory picks with a signing.
