On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins earned their first win of the season as they defeated the New York Jets 28-25 at MetLife Stadium.
Miami's offense had its best performance of the season as it scored a season-high 28 points. After failing to score more than one touchdown in the first four games of the season, Miami has now put up consecutive games with 24 or more points.
Miami's offensive improvement was enough to beat the New York Jets; however, the team still showed some areas where it needs to get better. Among those areas is the right tackle position, where veteran starter Austin Jackson has struggled this season.
Now, one Dolphins analyst has put Miami's second-longest-tenured player on notice.
Following the win, Dolphins on SI's Jake Gibson labeled Miami Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson a "loser" from Sunday's game.
Gibson wrote: "The offensive line played fine, but not thanks to Jackson. One mistake stands out – a missed block on third down at midfield, which led to defensive end Nate Lynn's first career sack with less than a minute to go in the third quarter. Miami looked poised to get to field goal range, but instead were forced to punt. The Jets responded with a lengthy drive, going all the way to the 1-yard line.
That was the only major negative play Jackson caused, but every play matters more when the game comes down to the wire. It's no secret that he's been a liability more often than not for the Dolphins – Pro Football Focus certainly thinks so, as he's earned a 43.7 grade. Out of all 71 eligible tackles, that's the lowest of the group.
It really seems like the future of the offensive line is bright with the consistent performances that Aaron Brewer, Jonah Savaiinaea, Patrick Paul and Kadyn Proctor have orchestrated this season. But Jackson hasn't proven himself worthy of being mentioned in that group, and that missed block might be bulletin-board material for the Dolphins to consider going somewhere else at right tackle."
After being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jackson has now become Miami's second-longest-tenured player behind only Zach Sieler.
Jackson has started 66 games for the Dolphins. He has battled with injuries throughout his career as he has not played in more than eight games since the 2023 season. This season, Jackson has started every game, but has not played as well as he has in the past.
Despite this, the veteran has been garnering trade buzz. NFL insider Jason La Canfora previously wrote: "Jackson is young, affordable, and holds extensive starting experience—qualities every team values when searching for tackle depth.
Even as a swing tackle, he appeals to contenders dealing with injuries along the offensive line. His team-friendly reworked contract makes him easy to move, and as an impending unrestricted free agent on a rebuilding Miami roster, executives expect him to be made available."
Jackson has earned over $45 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac. He's set to be a free agent after this season. Miami may be tempted to move on from the right tackle, especially if his performances do not improve.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Dolphins $45 Million Starter Put on Notice: 'Might Consider Going Somewhere Else' appeared first on HEAVY .
