Carrying the mantle as the NFL’s lone left-handed starting quarterback for a few years, Tua Tagovailoa has since seen Michael Penix Jr. and Dillon Gabriel join him among the league’s southpaw ranks. But the Dolphins have long built their offensive line around a lefty; that has made Austin Jackson‘s absence more noticeable in Miami.
The Dolphins have been without their starting right tackle since Week 1, when he suffered a toe injury. A team already replacing Terron Armstead after his retirement needed to turn to a second new starter there, with Larry Borom — whom the Bears had benched years ago — taking over for Jackson. Although the Dolphins are 3-7 and facing questions about their quarterback and head coach’s futures after a GM departure, they may receive some up-front help soon.
Jackson returned to practice Wednesday, per ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, starting his 21-day activation clock. The Dolphins placed Jackson on IR ahead of Week 2. They had initially targeted a Week 6 return, when Jackson was first eligible, but the sixth-year blocker has needed more time.
This marks Jackson’s third season in four years to be largely defined by injury. He missed 15 games in 2022 and was sidelined for nine last season, with a major knee injury ending his 2024 campaign midway through. Not a lock to return this week, getting in a limited practice Wednesday, Jackson has missed nine games this year. That runs his career count to 37 since going off the 2020 draft board in Round 1.
The USC product timed his most notable healthy season well, starting 16 games in 2023 — as injuries engulfed the Dolphins elsewhere on their O-line — and earning a three-year, $36MM extension. Jackson, who had experienced a summer setback in his return from knee surgery, has not rewarded the Dolphins on that deal, inviting questions about his future.
Miami turned to Patrick Paul at left tackle post-Armstead, and the second-year tackle has fared decently. Pro Football Focus grades Paul 40th among qualified tackles; the advanced metrics site ranks Borom near the bottom of that list — in 65th. Borom has made all nine RT starts since Jackson’s injury. He had been only a spot starter in Chicago since being benched midway through his second season. Borom is on a one-year, $2.5MM contract, usurping Lamm as Miami’s top swing tackle.
No guaranteed money remains on Jackson’s deal, but because of an offseason restructure that now has three void years included in this contract, it would still cost the Dolphins to cut Jackson in a contract year. A 2026 release would bring a $13.74MM dead money hit, though that could be halved with a post-June 1 designation. Then again, the Dolphins have seen post-June 1 moves (involving Byron Jones, Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey) pile up dead money in recent years. Chris Grier‘s GM successor will still have a decision to make on Jackson, who can help his cause with a strong finish back on Tagovailoa’s blind side upon returning.