Austin Jackson

Dolphins Place RT Austin Jackson On IR

September 13th, 2025 at 7:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins will be notably shorthanded up front through the early portion of the campaign. Miami placed right tackle Austin Jackson on injured reserve Saturday.

The move ensures at least a four-week absence, beginning with tomorrow’s matchup against New England. Miami is already without right guard James Daniels due to a pectoral injury. Jackson now joins him on injured reserve.

A toe injury will see the USC product sidelined for an extended period. Jackson’s sixth NFL season – all with the Dolphins – has not gotten off to a desired start given his current ailment. After playing just two games in 2022 and eight last season, today’s news marks the continuation of an unwanted trend regarding his availability. With Daniels out of the picture as well, the play on the right side of Miami’s offensive line will be worth monitoring.

The Dolphins struggled mightily in all phases last week, and a bounce-back on offense in particular would be key for all involved. Pass protection could be a concern with Daniels and now Jackson unavailable, however. The latter encountered a setback early last month after returning to full health. Jackson managed to suit up for the season opener, but Miami’s tackle setup will be altered as Patrick Paul continues his first campaign as a starter at the LT spot. Free agent addition Larry Borom could fill in at the opposite position.

Jackson’s pact (which was restructured in March) runs through the 2026 campaign. He is due a $9.88MM base salary for next year, but the former first-rounder’s only scheduled guaranteed compensation is a $1MM roster bonus. Further financial moves in this case could thus be coming depending on how the 2025 season plays out. Jackson will look to deliver a run of healthy play against that backdrop once he is back in place.

Dolphins To Sign G Cole Strange Off Browns’ Practice Squad

September 9th, 2025 at 2:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Amid a rash of injuries along their offensive line, the Dolphins are signing offensive guard Cole Strange off of the the Browns’ practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Miami was already without Liam Eichenberg entering the regular season. The versatile lineman was expected to be the team’s primary backup at guard but landed on the physically unable to perform list in training camp. Eichenberg was not activated during final roster cuts and will be out for at least three more games.

The Dolphins then lost starting right guard James Daniels (pectoral) and starting right tackle Austin Jackson (toe) in Week 1. Needing depth at guard, they poached Strange from the Browns’ practice squad. He lined up at all three interior spots in the preseason and could be called upon to replace Daniels right away.

Strange, 27, was a surprise first-round pick in 2022. He started 17 games at left guard for the Patriots as a rookie but seemed to lose his job entering the 2023 season. He only started two of the team’s first six games with healthy scratches for the other four, but returned to start the next eight contests before a torn patellar tendon ended his season. Strange started the 2024 season on the PUP list and didn’t return to the field until late December. He started the last two games of the year at center.

The Patriots’ offseason coaching change and offensive line additions casted doubt on Strange’s future. Rookie Jared Wilson took over at left guard with veteran Garrett Bradbury starting at center, squeezing Strange out of the starting lineup. He couldn’t carve out a backup role and was waived during final roster cuts. The Browns then signed him to their practice squad.

The Dolphins inserted Kion Smith into Sunday’s game to replace Daniels, but Strange offers much more experience with 29 career starts under his belt. Backup center Daniel Brunskill could be another option at right guard; he has 3,300 career snaps at the position, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Daniels is now on IR, according to NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. This marks the second straight season Daniels has landed on IR. An Achilles tear sustained in Week 4 of last season ended Daniels’ Steelers run. He had stayed mostly healthy during his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. While this is not believed to be a season-ending injury, Daniels being out of the mix continues a run of bad injury luck for Dolphins O-linemen. Daniels also has a guarantee vesting date to monitor in 2026. He will see $3.48MM of his 2026 base salary shift to a full guarantee on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. Returning to full strength will be key for Daniels to secure that guarantee.

Dolphins OL James Daniels, CB Storm Duck To Miss Several Weeks

September 8th, 2025 at 8:56pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Dolphins look to right the ship following an embarrassing season-opening loss, they’ll have to do so without a handful of key starters. According to multiple reports, it sounds like the Dolphins will be dealing with absences on both sides of the ball for at least the next few weeks.

On offense, starting guard James Daniels exited yesterday’s loss after only three offensive snaps thanks to a pec injury. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the injury isn’t expected to end the veteran’s season, and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler notes that the lineman didn’t suffer any muscle tears. Still, Daniels will likely be out of the lineup for at least the next three to four weeks.

Daniels was making his Miami debut after inking a three-year, $24MM deal with the franchise this past offseason. A former starter with the Bears and Steelers, the lineman was limited to four games in 2024 thanks to a torn Achilles.

The offseason acquisition wasn’t the only offensive lineman to suffer an injury. According to Jackson, the Dolphins are getting opinions on Austin Jackson‘s toe injury. The right tackle got into 79 percent of his team’s offensive snaps yesterday. A former first-round pick, injuries have been a theme of Jackson’s career, as he was limited to two games in 2022 thanks to an ankle injury and eight games in 2024 thanks to a knee injury.

The injuries also apply to the defense, as Jackson notes that cornerback Storm Duck will miss several weeks after suffering an ankle injury during the second quarter of yesterday’s loss. The former UDFA was a pleasant surprise in Miami last season, where he compiled 35 tackles while starting three of his 14 appearances. He got into 29 defensive snaps yesterday before exiting the contest.

Fortunately, there is some optimism surrounding another Dolphins injury. Jackson says that tight end Darren Waller will try to suit up for this Sunday’s matchup against the Patriots. If he can’t go, then a Week 3 return against the Bills will be a realistic target. The veteran’s return from retirement has been delayed by a lingering hip injury.

Dolphins Bring Back Kendall Lamm; Austin Jackson Returns To Practice

August 27th, 2025 at 7:06pm CST by Ely Allen

The Dolphins will see a familiar face return to the roster as they are signing offensive lineman Kendall Lamm, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The move comes a day after Lamm was released by the Eagles in final roster cuts.

A 10-year veteran of the NFL, Lamm has paved his way to a lengthy career with a reputation as a reliable swing tackle. Though, the 33-year-old has started games in every season of his career, only once has he started double-digit games in a season. Lamm has spent his career coming in as an extra blocker and filling in on the line when there are injuries. He’s played in 119 games in his career, starting 44.

Following a year in which Lamm started seven games for Miami, the Eagles opted to bring Lamm to Philadelphia in an attempt to replace their departing swing tackle, Fred Johnson. All-in-all the team considered four other players alongside Lamm to replace Johnson. In the end, Philly sent a 2026 seventh-round pick to Jacksonville in exchange for Johnson, and Lamm got cut, as a result.

Like Johnson, though, Lamm returns to a familiar situation, but he may just be coming in as insurance. When healthy, the Dolphins will be starting Patrick Paul and Austin Jackson as the bookend tackles of the offensive line. Jackson, though, is coming of season-ending knee surgery from November.

The team has long maintained that Jackson would be good to go for the start of the season, but the sixth-year tackle didn’t return to practice until today, per C. Isaiah Smalls II of the Miami Herald. He had been expected to return much earlier than this, but Jackson experienced a setback in his recovery when got “stepped on.” According to Barry Jackson, also of the Herald, the 26-year-old told reporters that he will “no doubt” be ready for Week 1.

Jackson is clearly eager to return to the field, but the team might be a bit more cautious with his return. Either way, with Lamm back in the fold, the Dolphins will have a strong replacement option should Jackson not be able to play.

Dolphins T Austin Jackson Experiences Injury Setback

August 2nd, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Ely Allen

After suffering the second major injury of his professional career and missing the final eight games of the 2024 season, Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson has been working his way back to the field in training camp in hopes of being ready for a Week 1 trip to Indianapolis. Jackson’s comeback hit a snag today, though, as Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports that the 25-year-old suffered a “lower extremity injury” that will cause him to miss “weeks” in camp.

Jackson may have been ahead of schedule in his journey back to the field, then. His targeted Week 1 return date was set back in June, and though today’s injury will seemingly set him back, head coach Mike McDaniel believes he will be on the field for the season opener (via Wolfe).

Jackson, the No. 8 overall pick out of USC In 2020, started immediately upon arriving in Miami as a left tackle. After being kicked inside to left guard in Year 2 and missing all but two games in Year 3, several question marks surrounded Jackson’s future. Returning in 2023 to start as a rare blindside blocking right tackle (for a left-handed quarterback), Jackson did enough to earn a three-year, $36MM extension.

Last year, the Dolphins had Kendall Lamm and Patrick Paul backing up Jackson and Terron Armstead. Armstead wasn’t re-signed to a new deal, and Lamm is now in Philly, so the depth that secured the team last year is not quite the same. Larry Borom stands as the most-experienced backup of a group that includes Ryan Hayes, Kion Smith, Braeden Daniels, Daniel Brunskill, and Bayron Matos, an International Player Pathway Program addition who was airlifted from practice to a hospital a week and a half ago but has since returned to the building.

If Jackson can reach his target return date, the Dolphins should be fine when the season opens, but they’ll now be requiring much more of some backups throughout training camp and the preseason. It will be an opportunity to get a relatively inexperienced group a good portion of quality snaps in Jackson’s absence.

Return Targets Set For Dolphins’ Austin Jackson, James Daniels

June 14th, 2025 at 12:41pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Dolphins are hoping that offensive linemen Austin Jackson and James Daniels will be ready by the team’s regular-season opener in Indianapolis.

Jackson started just eight games last season before undergoing season-ending knee surgery. He is expecting to be ready by training camp, per ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, where he is expected to retake his role as the Dolphins’ starting right tackle.

After the offseason departure of Kendall Lamm, who started seven games in Jackson’s stead in 2024, Miami has limited options at right tackle should Jackson suffer a setback. Jackson Carman started one game last season, while free agency addition Larry Borom has 1,045 career snaps at right tackle, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), though only 33 have come in the last two seasons.

Daniels, who signed a three-year, $24MM contract with the Dolphins in March, is coming off a torn Achilles suffered at the end of September. His representation has said that he will be ready for Week 1, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, but the team will want to prepare its other guards in case Daniels’ timeline does not work out. Liam Eichenberg started 14 games at right guard last year, so he will likely be the team’s primary stopgap option if Daniels isn’t ready for the regular season.

Second-round pick Jonah Savaiinaea is expecting to push for the Dolphins’ starting left guard job, with Aaron Brewer retaining his job at center and Patrick Paul replacing Terron Armstead at left tackle.

Dolphins Restructure Austin Jackson’s Contract; Team Could Make OL Additions

March 29th, 2025 at 8:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins have made a number of moves aimed at carving out 2025 cap space. That process has included a restructure of right tackle Austin Jackson‘s deal, as detailed by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

$9.71MM of his Jackson’s base salary for next season has been converted into a signing bonus; as a result, his 2025 cap hit has been lowered by $7.8MM down to $5.79MM. The move sets him up for a $15.77MM cap charge next year, but it helps Miami’s efforts to bring in further additions up front in the near future. The Dolphins have brought in guard James Daniels as well as tackle Larry Borom so far in free agency, and more moves could be coming.

Jackson notes Daniels – who inked a three-year, $24MM pact – has been told by the team it is unclear at this point whether he will play left or right guard. The former Steeler will be counted on to operate as a starter at one of those spots, but his remarks suggest Miami plans to make other moves along the interior. That could include bringing in a rookie fairly high in next month’s draft; the Dolphins own 10 selections as things stand, including one in each of the first three rounds.

With roughly $16.5MM in cap space, Miami also has the financial means to sign a veteran blocker before or after the draft takes place. At this stage of free agency, of course, expectations would be limited for any signing to step into a first-team role. Nevertheless, it would come as little surprise if the plan in place (as mentioned to Daniels) includes at least one notable addition.

The Dolphins expect to be without left tackle Terron Armstead in 2025, and his absence could thrust Patrick Paul (selected in the second round last year) into a full-time starting gig. Along the interior, Daniels is slated to start at one guard spot with center Aaron Brewer still on the books for two more seasons. Jackson – who was limited to eight games in 2024 – will reprise his starting role at right tackle, but it remains to be seen who will occupy the other first-team guard role. Veteran Liam Eichenberg represents the top in-house option, but competition could be added later this offseason.

AFC East Rumors: Van Pelt, Jets, Dolphins

January 15th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Giants and Vikings submitted viable offers to the Patriots for the No. 3 overall pick last year, with each NFC franchise eyeing Drake Maye. Each would have netted the Pats an additional second-rounder in last year’s draft and a first this year. New York’s proposal would have given New England this year’s third overall choice, but Maye now serves as the Pats’ franchise centerpiece. Ultimately, then-acting GM Eliot Wolf and ownership stayed and picked Maye. Though, there appeared to be some supporters of accepting a trade-down offer. At the time, it is believed OC Alex Van Pelt was among those who viewed the Pats’ roster as too deficient to pass on moving down, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes.

While it may not be certain Mike Vrabel moves on from Van Pelt, the OC effectively confirmed this by telling friends he had been fired following the team’s Week 18 game. This came despite the organization being pleased with how he had helped develop Maye. Vrabel’s next play-caller’s chief assignment will be elevating Maye to another level in 2025.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

In December, Davante Adams was noncommittal about his Jets future. After all, the player responsible for him being traded to New York — Aaron Rodgers — appears on his way out. After the season, Adams did not confirm (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he would be following Rodgers out the door, but he said staying with the team post-Rodgers would depend on a few factors. Adams’ Raiders-built contract runs through 2026. Allen Lazard was more enthusiastic about staying with the Jets. The lower-profile Rodgers come-with guy at receiver, Lazard went from being a healthy scratch at a point in 2023 to totaling 530 yards and six touchdowns this season. Lazard said (via Cimini) he wants to stay and later retire a Jet. Though, his four-year, $44MM contract would produce $11MM in savings if removed from the payroll via a post-June 1 release.
Calais Campbell said before season’s end he was not closing the door on playing an 18th NFL season, and the accomplished defensive lineman noted after the Dolphins‘ year wrapped (via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that he will consider an age-39 slate. Campbell notched five sacks, and his 12 tackles for loss were his most since 2018. The Dolphins had him on their books for just $2MM this season, and after they nearly traded him back to the Ravens at the deadline, it stands to reason the Miami alum will look into landing with a contender soon.
Elsewhere on the Dolphins’ roster, both Jaelan Phillips and Austin Jackson are expected to be fine for the 2025 opener, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Phillips, who suffered an Achilles tear in 2023 and a partially torn ACL this season, is going into his fifth-year option campaign. Jackson, who suffered a meniscus tear, is tied to a three-year, $36MM extension. Swing tackle Kendall Lamm is almost definitely set to depart in free agency, Jackson adds. The Dolphins’ Patrick Paul second-round draft choice had pointed the veteran elsewhere. That said, Grier said the Dolphins “are going to have to” invest in O-linemen this offseason. While the team has three higher-end tackle investments under contract, its interior situation is less solidified.
Staying with O-lines, Vrabel confirmed (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the Patriots‘ front will be a priority this offseason. This echoes a recent report that suggested OL and WR would be New England’s top target areas. The Pats struggled up front, with the loss of David Andrews and the left tackle carousel being among the issues. Vrabel leaned on the ground game in Tennessee, largely because of Derrick Henry‘s presence, but the Pats have by far the most cap space exiting the season. With questions existing just about everywhere outside of Michael Onwenu‘s presence (and even his position has fluctuated), allocating considerable resources up front seems likely as the Pats attempt to protect Maye.

Dolphins RT Austin Jackson Out For Season

November 12th, 2024 at 3:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Austin Jackson used a bounce-back 2023 season to score a solid extension. Midway through this year, however, another injury will place a high hurdle in the veteran blocker’s path.

Placed on IR on Monday, Jackson is now out for the season. Mike McDaniel confirmed Jackson will undergo knee surgery, via ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Beasley. This will mark a second season derailed by injury in three years, as an ankle malady sidelined Jackson for most of the 2022 slate.

This is obviously a tough blow to a Dolphins team that has dealt with injuries and some cost-related turnover up front over the past year. Miami did not re-sign Connor Williams, who had gone down late last season, and let Robert Hunt walk due to cost constraints this offseason. The Dolphins also have would-be left guard starter Isaiah Wynn on the PUP list; Wynn has been out for over a year. While Jackson got in a good 2023 season while the rest of Miami’s starting O-line ran into injury trouble, he has been in this boat before.

An ankle injury sustained in Week 1 of the 2022 season sidelined Jackson for 15 games, with a comeback attempt weeks later shutting him down for the season. The Dolphins roster high-end left tackle Terron Armstead, but the Pro Bowler has dealt with a litany of maladies during his time in New Orleans and Miami. Armstead has missed two games this season. Jackson had played in all but one game over the past two years.

The Dolphins drafted Jackson in the 2020 first round and did not pick up his fifth-year option. Jackson moved from left tackle to guard to right tackle during his time in Miami, settling at RT last year. His 2023 performance prompted the Dolphins to hand out a three-year, $36MM extension in December of last year. Jackson, 25, is signed through the 2026 season.

PFF has Armstead graded first among all tackles this season, one that comes after the former Saints mainstay considered retirement. Jackson ranks 56th. In preparation for a future without Armstead, the Dolphins drafted Patrick Paul in the second round. Miami, though, started veteran swingman Kendall Lamm in place of Jackson on Monday night.

Lamm, 32, has 38 starts on his resume and has been in McDaniel’s system for three seasons. It appears Paul is still being groomed, though he did make one start in place of Armstead earlier this season. This injury brings the Houston product closer to the starting lineup, but it looks like Miami will use Lamm as RT relief for the time being.

Dolphins Place T Austin Jackson On IR, Activate WR River Cracraft

November 11th, 2024 at 4:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins have made a number of moves ahead of their Monday night matchup. Right tackle Austin Jackson has been moved to injured reserve, while wideout River Cracraft has been activated.

Jackson will be out for at least the next four games as a result of today’s move. He has served as Miami’s starter at the right tackle spot all year, continuing his run of starting all but two of his career appearances with the Dolphins. The former first-rounder has seen more success on the right side than the left (where he began his NFL tenure), and his absence will be felt up front. Kendall Lamm will replace Jackson in the starting lineup.

Last December, Jackson agreed to a three-year, $36MM extension which cemented his status as a key member of Miami’s offensive line. The 25-year-old drew underwhelming PFF grades during each of his first three seasons, but the 2023 campaign resulted in his best evaluation to date in both pass protection and run blocking. Jackson’s overall mark of 60 this year is a step back, but he will still be missed as the Dolphins look to remain as strong up front as possible after Tua Tagovailoa‘s latest concussion.

Cracraft was among the many players around the league who were placed on IR during roster cutdowns while being designated for return in the process. As a result, his activation (in terms of the Dolphins’ limit of eight for the year) has already been accounted for. As Miami moves forward with five such activations available, the team will welcome Cracraft into the fold for his season debut. The 30-year-old is set to reprise a depth role on offense, although with Tyreek Hill questionable for tonight he could see a notable workload against the Rams.

Miami has also signed defensive tackle Neil Farrell to the active roster. The 26-year-old made nine appearances with the Raiders in 2022, followed by a pair of games with the Chiefs. He has been used as a gameday elevation twice so far by the Dolphins, so that would have been an option once more before a deal on the active roster would have become necessary. Instead, Farrell has now been promoted from the practice squad, setting him up to serve in a rotational role along the defensive front.

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