Miami Dolphins: 3 bold predictions vs. Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6
By Jeremy Klump
2. Austin Jackson will be improved at left guard
The Miami Dolphins finally listened to me and did not allow Austin Jackson to take another snap at left tackle. Jackson is not a starting tackle in the NFL, and he never was, to begin with. Miami fell in love with his potential, but potential is a word that gets people fired in the NFL.
Jackson’s failed experiment at left tackle will be a good lesson for the Dolphins that sometimes trying to be the smartest person in the room means you’re actually the dumbest. However, Miami smartly pivoted from their bust at left tackle and moved Jackson to left guard in Week 5.
Jackson was far from an elite left guard, but he was also far from being the terrible player he was at left tackle. At left guard, Jackson will have fewer opportunities to be on an island in pass protection and can use his solid run blocking skills to maul people in the run game. Jackson is also athletic for a guard, so they can easily get him moving to the second level and help out.
I know that Pro Football Focus said Jackson was still bad, but Pro Football Focus is a subjective grading system. An objective view of Jackson at left guard would say that Jackson looked better, and Miami has something to build off of with it.
If Jackson can succeed at left guard, Miami may not have picked the left tackled they had hoped for, but they did get a starting left guard, which is still an important part of the puzzle. I think Jackson showed me enough improvement in Week 5 that he will be even better in Week 6.