LT Jackson put on IR with injury to foot
Dolphins now in search of a replacement
The Miami Dolphins held open auditions all week to find a replacement for starting rookie left tackleAustin Jackson, who was placed on injured reserve on Friday.
The Dolphins (1-3) will play Sunday’s road game against the 49ers (2-2) without the rookie standout, who has missed practice this week because of a foot injury he suffered in the loss to the Seahawks.
Dolphins coach Brian Flores avoided putting a timetable on Jackson’s return, but pointed out that Miami will take Jackson off injured reserve after threeweeks because of the NFL’s new rules related to the injured reserve.
“He’s a hard working kid, and I think he’ll do everything he can to get back,” Dolphins coach Flores said. “Injuries are tough to sit hereandsay it’s going to be this, that, six weeks or 12 weeks. Let’s take it one day at a time.
“We’re looking for long-term replacement.”
Julien Davenport replaced Jackson in Sunday’s game, but the Dolphins plan to start the best five offensive linemen against the 49ers. Rookie tackle Robert Hunt, the team’s 2020 second-roundpick, is pushing hard to make his first NFL start.
“In my head, once I get that chance to go in and play, I’m going to try to take it serious. I prepare for it allweek,” saidHunt, a former Louisiana-Lafayette standout the Dolphins drafted atNo. 39.
Hunt hopes to join former Georgia standout Solomon Kindley as the rookies starting on Miami’s rebuilt offensive line.
“We cross-train everywhere so I’ve been playing wherever they need me play, wherever the coach needsme to play, and get in and fit in,” said Hunt, who has sparingly worked at guard since training camp started because Kindley’s emergence at right guard.
Inserting Hunt into the starting lineup could mean Miami moves Jesse Davis to left tackle, the position he started five games at in 2019 before an elbow injury a forced him move to the right side. Davis prides himself on his ability to play every position on the offensive line, and keeping Hunt on the right side he’s accustomed to would give the rookie the best chance to succeed.
As for Davenport, the fourth-year veteranhas extensive experience, considering he’s started 27 games in his NFL career. However, he’s generally struggled when his status has been elevated. This could be his opportunity to showhis growth in his second season with the Dolphins, who acquired him in the Laremy Tunsil trade withHouston last year.
“We’ve got a lot of guys playing multiple positions and getting reps at multiple positions,” Davenport said. “Sowe’ll see what the game plan is as the week goes on, as the coaches talk about it and see what they feel is best.”
Whoever starts at left tackle will likely hold that spot for the foreseeable future, so the Dolphins understand this could be their best shot to giveHunt playing time. The question is, how do they go about achieving it?