Dolphins Training Camp Preview: T Austin Jackson

The 2020 first-round pick will try to build on his breakout season

Jason Sarney | Jul 3, 2024

Miami Dolphins guard Austin Jackson (73) at the line of scrimmage against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 2024 AFC wild card game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

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Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins’ anchor on their offensive line very well could be 2020 first-round pick, right tackle Austin Jackson.

After having a rocky start in the pros, the 18th overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft performed very well in 2023. He improved enough that Miami rewarded him with an in-season contract extension in December.

Entering year five, the Dolphins hope his progression continues. With pass blocking being his strength, improvement in run blocking could be on the docket for 2024.

Jackson is the latest player featured in our series examining players on the Dolphins’ roster heading into training camp. We look back at their 2023 season, how they joined the team, their contract status, and their outlook for 2024.

AUSTIN JACKSON, OL

Height: 6-5
Weight: 320 lbs.
Exp.: 5 Years
School: USC
How Acquired: Selected 18th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft

2023 in Review

Jackon was part of a well-coached line in 2023 with Butch Barry’s tutelage. The line suffered a slew of injuries across the unit, and Barry had to construct 12 different combinations of five throughout the season. No Miami offensive lineman started all 17 games last season, but Jackson was the closest with 16. He missed the Dallas Cowboys game in Week 16 with an oblique injury.

Protecting Tagovailoa was the main task, and Jackson had his best season as a pro. He played 989 offensive snaps (96%) and only allowed four sacks in the season on 592 pass-pro situations.

Jackson was also part of an offensive line that helped Miami’s rushing attack lead the league in yards per carry at 5.1.

Contract/Cap Info

The Dolphins and Jackson agreed to a three-year, $36 million extension in December that included a $5 million signing bonus, $13.06 million guaranteed, with an average annual salary of $12 million, according to spotrac.com.

Jackson’s 2024 base salary is $1.12 million with a signing bonus of $6.66 million with a workout bonus of $25,000. His 2024 cap hit is $4.57 million with a dead cap value of $16.78 million.

2024 Preview

Jackson is locked in as Tagovailoa’s blind-side protector. The spot next to him at right guard will be an open competition that will include Liam Eichenberg, Robert Jones, Lester Cotton and free agent signee Jack Driscoll, to name a few.

Jackson will be 25 in August, a rather young age for a player entering his fifth season. There are even a few rookies who will be in training camp that are slightly older than Jackson, so the development and progress should continue in 2024.