The Miami Dolphins rewarded Austin Jackson with a long term deal

The Miami Dolphins went ahead and did the smart and proper thing and signed right tackle Austin Jackson to a long-term deal.

First off, congrats to Austin Jackson. I and everyone else mocked and lambasted this guy for three-plus years. We wanted this guy off the team a few years ago but Chris Grier and management deemed that the prudent move was to train the lad. I mean he is only 24 years old right now so getting rid of him I suppose made zero sense especially when they weren't paying him much.

Then Mike McDaniel got here last year and Jackson was only marginally better. This year I had no faith that Austin Jackson would be able to turn it around and that he might be the reason Tua gets taken out again.

But the addition of the apparent offensive line savant, Butch Barry, who is some sort of lineman whisperer, turned Austin Jackson into the human turnstile into a very capable player who is performing at a pro-bowl level. Hats off to that guy. A true unsung hero.

Secondly, good on the Miami Dolphins for recognizing all the work Austin Jackson put in and how he masterly blocked out all the negative things said about his game. That can't be overstated here.

And for the contract they gave him, with $20M guaranteed meaning he will be around $8M a year over the next three years I'd say Grier and company got a gem for their offensive system for the next few years. That's incredible value for being Tua's blindside.

Can it be the Miami Dolphins will only make smart decisions for the next decade of Dolphins' football? That remains to be seen. I'm just going to enjoy the signing of Austin Jackson and the trajectory of the team for as long as I can.

I hope Austin Jackson has himeself a day.

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