Breaking Down the Dolphins Roster Moves

The Miami Dolphins indeed will get both Austin Jackson and Darren Waller back for their Week 13 game against the New Orleans Saints.

The team announced Saturday that both players had been activated off the injured list in time for the game at Hard Rock Stadium.

Jackson missed the past 10 games with a toe injury he sustained in training camp and then aggravated in the regular season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Waller missed the past four games because of a pec injury and returns after sitting out the minimum required four games.

To make room on the roster, the Dolphins waived tackle Kion Smith and tight end Hayden Rucci with the team deciding to keep the same number of players at each position.

Do not be surprised in the least if either or both players get re-signed to the practice squad after clearing waivers, particularly Rucci, considering he already was on the practice squad before the Dolphins signed him to the 53-man roster.

KEEPING THE IR SCORE

Jackson and Waller, who returned to practice this week, became the fourth and fifth Dolphins players this season to be designated for return, leaving the team with three such designations the rest of the regular season.

The Dolphins designated kicker Jason Sanders and offensive lineman Andrew Meyer to return when they put them on IR the day of the cuts to 53, and then brought back rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. in late October.

The Dolphins have five other players who were placed on IR after the cuts to 53 and therefore coudl be brought back this season, though Tyreek Hill, JuJu Brents and Storm Duck all sustained season-ending injuries, leaving James Daniels and Jordan Colbert as the two players who conceivably could be designated to return.

Offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg has been on PUP the whole season and wouldn't count against the eight-return limit, though head coach Mike McDaniel has said he didn't expect Eichenberg to return in 2025.

THE GAME PLAN FOR JACKSON

With Waller coming back after a month, one would expect his snap count to perhaps be a little bit limited against the Saints, while the outlook for Jackson isn't nearly as clear.

McDaniel said early in the week he might consider using both Jackson and Larry Borom, who has started the past 10 games in Jackson's spot, at right tackle to allow the former first-round pick from USC to get into "football shape."

How that would look like against New Orleans remains to be seen, including whether Jackson automatcially will return to the starting lineup.

INSTERESTING SAINTS MOVE

The Dolphins didn't make any practice squad elevations Saturday, while New Orleans made one.

The Saints elevated kicker Charlie Smyth, a native of Northern Ireland who will be making his NFL debut.

New Orleans waived kicker Blake Grupe earlier this week after he went 18-for-26 on field goal attempts this season, including a 1-for-3 outing in a 24-10 loss against the Atlanta Falcons last Sunday.

The Saints had kicker tryouts early in the week that included longtime Baltimore Ravens standout Justin Tucker, who was suspended for the first 10 games this season after accusations of sexual misconduct against him came to the surface.