Evaluating Austin Jackson's First Game Back for Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins got two key starters back from injury in their Week 13 win against the New Orleans Saints, and one of them required quite a bit of patience. 

Right tackle Austin Jackson returned to action for the first time since suffering a toe injury toward the end of the team’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1. Jackson also missed considerable time in the summer with a toe injury. 

Larry Borom replaced Jackson while he was out, and while Borom was playing better recently, it was pretty clear that Miami missed Jackson’s skill set. 

Jackson in the Running Game 

Jackson played 58 offensive snaps in his return and helped give the Dolphins an edge in the running game. 

“He had a mindset of violence that we were counting on,” coach Mike McDaniel said about Jackson on Monday. “We put him at the point of attack for a ton of things, and we kinda measured our expectations…Overall, he probably exceeded my expectations to a degree and made us a better football team with his tonality.” 

That physicality allowed the Dolphins to beat up the Saints on the ground throughout the game. The Dolphins finished with 164 yards on 32 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per carry — the team’s third-straight game averaging more than five yards per carry. 

Run blocking is always a group effort, but Jackson’s is easily the team’s most physical run blocker, and that showed up on tape quite a bit. 

“He fits into the style of ball that we’ve been playing, where it’s a convicted, aggressive approach that is less about perfection and more about conviction,” McDaniel said.

Jackson created plenty of push off the right side, and even got involved in some of the Dolphins’ outside-run concepts. The first run of the game was a crack-toss concept where Jackson pulled into space and made a nice block. 

Where Jackson Struggled 

It wasn’t all perfect for Jackson against the Saints. While his impact was clearly felt in the running game, he wasn't as good at pass blocking. He was charged with three pressures and two hurries, according to Pro Football Focus. 

That’s always been the book on Jackson, though. He’s a solid run defender who struggles a bit in pass protection. 

One of his pressures led to a sack for Cameron Jordan, another flushed Tua Tagovailoa off his spot and into another sack for Jordan. The last one featured Jordan bull rushing Jackson into Tua’s lap, but the QB made his best throw of the day to Jaylen Waddle over the middle. 

It’s fair to point out that Jackson was probably a little bit rusty, given he hadn’t played since Week 1. However, he’s always struggled a bit in this area, and against a smart rusher like Jordan, it’s not surprising he lost a few reps. 

What Does the Future Hold for Jackson?

It’s awesome that the Dolphins got Jackson back for this stretch run. He fits perfectly into the type of offense the team has created this season. 

That said, it’s hard not to think about his long-term place. Jackson is heading into the last year of his contract with a cap number of $15.8 million for 2026, and the Dolphins could designate him as a post-June 1 cut to make the cap charge for cutting him viable next season. They'd have to wait on the cap savings and still pay out money in 2027, but it would all be manageable.

Why would they do that? Well, Jackson can’t stay on the field. He’s played more than eight games once in the last four years, and he’s racked up a considerable list of injuries. 

Perhaps it’s more trouble than it’s worth to replace Jackson next season, but it also seems incredibly risky to rely on him as a starter again. 

Regardless of how that shakes out this offseason, there’s no doubt he can help the Dolphins win football games in 2025. When he plays, he's a solid starter at an important position.