If the Miami Dolphins end up needing offensive tackle support this summer, the possible answers are complicated
If the Miami Dolphins end up needing to tab some offensive tackle support this summer, the list of options is…complicated.
One of the biggest potential threats to a favorable 2026 outcome for the Miami Dolphins is depth. It’s, naturally, hard to sustain a lot of quality role players when 60% of your salary cap allotment goes to players no longer on the roster.
That’s where Miami finds themselves. So the threat of potential injury at any position, especially during the first week of August, is an unsettling idea. Yet it looms as a threat at, unfortunately, a familiar place. Practice reports on Monday noted right tackle Austin Jackson did not finish the session. Now, to be fair, we do not know anything about Jackson’s status. He could be totally fine! But his extensive injury history has plenty of fans on edge. And after looking at the state of free agency in the NFL, it’s time to hope for the best.
Options for the Miami Dolphins if they end up in need of extra tackle help are…limited
The free agency crop of available offensive tackles is filled with players who boast significant questions. That’s exactly what you’d expect for multiple reasons: first and foremost, teams don’t let good offensive tackles hit the offensive market. Second, it’s August!
But who are the names of note that remain unsigned and offer starting experience at the NFL level?
The most established (note: I opted not to say ‘best’) names available are Jonah Williams, Taylor Decker, and Cam Robinson. Decker has dealt with multiple upper body injuries over the last two seasons, including a biceps injury, shoulder surgery, and more. He turns 33 years old in three weeks. That’s not a great fit for the Dolphins. Neither is Robinson, who is 30 years old and has played on five teams since the start of the 2023 season. He’s older and historically has been expensive.
Jonah Williams would perhaps be a fit but he, too, is an injury risk. He’s played in 15 games over the last two seasons combined. He’s not quite as dynamic or rangy as a run blocker as what Miami would ideally have on the edge, as well.
Some of the other most compelling names have…retired. Dan Skipper is an offensive assistant for the Lions this season. Yosh Nijman, a former Green Bay Packer, retired in March. Hakeem Adeniji signed with Baltimore this past week and was placed on the ‘retired’ list yesterday. So, the direction here is pretty clear. Let’s hope that Jackson’s Monday removal is much ado about nothing. That’s the best option we’ve got.
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