Austin Jackson
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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - AUGUST 27: Austin Jackson #73 of the Miami Dolphins poses for a photo during pregame warm-ups prior to playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Hard Rock Stadium on August 27, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
The Miami Dolphins placed tackle Austin Jackson on injured reserve Saturday as part of a series of roster moves.
This means the team will be without him until at least Week 6. The move comes after Jackson was forced to leave Miami’s Week 1 game against the Indianapolis Colts with a toe injury. He had tried to push through the setback, but will now be shut down.
To fill Jackson’s roster spot, the Dolphins signed cornerback Cornell Armstrong off the practice squad. Armstrong originally joined the team at the start of training camp.
The team also announced that running back Jeff Wilson Jr. and kicker Riley Patterson have been elevated for Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots. Both were also elevated for the Week 1 game.
Austin Jackson
GettyMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 15: Raheem Mostert #31 of the Miami Dolphins celebrates a touchdown with Austin Jackson #73 during the second quarter in the game against the Carolina Panthers at Hard Rock Stadium on October 15, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Miami Dolphins, Already Struggling, Lose Nearly Half the O-Line
With Jackson now on injured reserve alongside guard James Daniels, the Dolphins are left without either starter on the right side of their offensive line — another setback for a team coming off a 33-8 loss to the Colts.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa acknowledged that losing two starters will be a challenge, but noted the team is accustomed to embracing a next-man-up mentality.
“That will be tough, but this isn’t an instance where it’s the first time it’s happened for us,” he said Wednesday. “Where a new guy gets put in and we’ve got to trust that he knows what he’s doing or he knows what he has to do in a certain protection or a run game scheme. So I trust the guys that are going to be in there. They had some reps throughout training camp while I was in there, so I’ve got the utmost confidence in those guys.”
Larry Borom and Kion Smith Expected to Start
Larry Borom is expected to start in Jackson’s place in Week 2, head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday, but it was clear that Jackson needs time to recover.
“What you don’t want to do is put someone on IR and then find out a half week later that they could’ve been back two games before that,” McDaniel said Friday. “You’re measuring the inexact science of medicine or whatever, and you’re trying to figure out if you can help your roster in the short term or if that’s going to hurt you and particularly that player. I struggle robbing players of the finite opportunity of playing in NFL games, so it’s easier when you have some absolute certainty. That’s where we usually make that move.”
McDaniel did not specify whether this is a new issue or a setback from the injury he sustained during training camp, when a another player stepped on his toe.
Kion Smith is expected to start for Daniels and Miami signed former Patriots first-round pick guard Cole Strange from the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad.
Sunday’s Patriots-Dolphins game is scheduled to kickoff at 1 p.m. EDT on CBS.