The most surprising players of the Miami Dolphins first 8 games of 2023
By Brian Miller
![Oct 1, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Miami Dolphins guard Austin Jackson (73) prepares to block Oct 1, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Miami Dolphins guard Austin Jackson (73) prepares to block](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4599,h_2586,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/62/01he15z1bknmrqft432j.jpg)
The Miami Dolphins have reached the halfway point of their season, well sort of. With 17 games the halfway point comes at halftime during this Sunday's game in Germany.
Through eight weeks there has been plenty of surprises both good and bad. Some players have shockingly surprised us while others have us complaining under our breaths or ranting on social media.
Austin Jackson is the biggest surprise of the 2023 Miami Dolphins season and it isn't close.
There isn't any sense trying to build up the hype with our number-one surprise of the '23 season. Austin Jackson is it by a mile. If this is playing for a new contract, sign the man up and move on.
Chris Grier has spent four years defying popular opinion regarding the Dolphins' former first-round draft pick taken only a handful of picks after Tua Tagovailoa. Despite his confidence in Jackson, Grier didn't pick up his 5th-year option and that means Jackson will get to test the market.
Will the Dolphins let him walk? Maybe, after all, it is only 8 games and he hasn't been good for the three years prior to this one. That being said, no other lineman is playing close to the level that Jackson is.
We can credit his turnaround to line coach Butch Berry who has made this unit exceptional. Consider on Sunday against the Patriots, Miami at one point played with not one backup but four with Jackson the only starter. They still kept Tua upright.