It's supposed to be the year the Miami Dolphins finally have a good offensive line, but a new development could put Austin Jackson out for a long time.
Jackson has dealt with injury issues throughout his career, and it appears he may be right back to where he left off in the 2024 season.
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reported from Dolphins training camp that he has heard Jackson will miss "weeks" after suffering a lower extremity injury in practice.
Dolphins' Austin Jackson injury may leave brutal hole at right tackle
Since being drafted by the Dolphins in 2020, Jackson has struggled to stay healthy and on the field. In his rookie year, he was healthy for 13 games, but in 2021, he played in all 17. The pendulum swung too far the other way the following year, and Jackson missed all but two games before rebounding and playing 16 games in 2023.
This offseason, head coach Mike McDaniel raved about Jackson's leadership. McDaniel said the players on the line have gravitated toward him. But this is going to be a setback if he can't get back on the field.
The Dolphins gave Jackson a contract extension during the 2023 season, but he again went back to missing games in 2024, sitting out all but eight contests. This year was supposed to be a rebound season, but now it appears that once again, the Dolphins are going to need another player to step up.
There has been no decision on his status for the 2025 season. The Dolphins need their right tackle to stay healthy.
One thing has been consistent, however. When Jackson is healthy, the Dolphins' offense, especially the running game, is much better. Now, we are all once again keeping our fingers crossed as yet another starter goes down.