The Miami Dolphins preparations are well underway for the start of the season, which comes in 6 days against the New England Patriots in Foxborough. But not all is calm in the Dolphins’ building this morning; as the news has broke that starting left tackle Austin Jackson is one of two players who have been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list to start the week.
And with the news of what the Dolphins now face, a watchful eye must be kept on the status of Jackson — because his availability will have a domino effect that impacts the rest of the offensive line. The Dolphins have a very particular approach for their offensive line and Jackson’s status could possibly put it to the ultimate test.
The Dolphins like their offensive linemen to be able to play multiple spots. Nearly every active offensive lineman on the roster has the ability to play multiple spots.
- OG Solomon Kindley can play either guard spot
- C Michael Deiter can play center or guard
- OG Robert Hunt can play either guard or tackle
- Rookie OL Liam Eichenberg has been cross-trained at guard and tackle in camp
- Veteran OL Jesse Davis can play all 4 spots aside of center
- Newly acquired OL Greg Mancz has played both center and guard in his NFL career
- UDFA OG Robert Jones played tackle at Middle Tennessee State but is currently inside at guard
- Greg Little has played on both sides of the line of scrimmage as a right and left tackle
The ideology was touched on by co-offensive coordinator George Godsey earlier this summer when asked about the line.
“(Interior OL is) another position where there’s only really eight of them active on game day so they’ve got to have some flexibility and it’s nice for Michael (Deiter) to have played guard for a year now knowing what it takes from a center with that communication,” said Godsey.
He continued to outline why rookie OL Liam Eichenberg spent time this summer being looked at in multiple spots at both guard and tackle.
“It’s the same thing with the amount of guys on a roster on game day. He’s going to have to play multiple and learn multiple spots and based on the dynamics in that room, whoever is active come the first week of the season, which we’ve got some time, there needs to be some flexibility to be able to play inside and outside.”
The Dolphins want positional versatility across their entire front for this exact scenario. And now the test will be, if Jackson is unavailable for game day against New England, if the rest of the group is up to the challenge to allow the Dolphins to take this change in stride.