Have Injuries Concluded Dolphins' Left Guard Battle?

Robert Jones' knee injury removes a contender for the Miami Dolphins' vacant starting left guard spot

One of the four contenders for the Miami Dolphins' starting left guard spot will be sidelined at least a month with an injury he suffered in Saturday's 28-3 preseason victory over the Houston Texans.

Fourth-year offensive lineman Robert Jones suffered an MCL sprain to his right knee, according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus, who told WSVN, the news station where he makes a weekly appearance on Sports Xtra.

The knee injury likely will sideline Jones 4-6 weeks, according to Rosenhaus, but will not require surgery.

Roster decision to be made on Jones

That means Jones, who started seven games at left guard for the Dolphins last season, either will be placed on injured reserve to start the 2023 season after being included on the initial 53-man roster, or be waived with an injury settlement.

He can return to the team under both circumstances, but would have to miss at least the first month of the season if placed on injured reserve.

Jones' injury means Isaiah Wynn, a free agent addition who has started 40 games for the New England Patriots, is the lone healthy contender for the vacant starting left guard spot, and might win the training camp position battle by default.

Liam Eichenberg, the incumbent starter at left guard, sat out all of last week's team periods because of an undisclosed injury he's been nursing, and Lester Cotton, a former Alabama standout who has started one of the 15 games he's played since joining the NFL in 2019, was held out of Saturday's game against the Texans because of an undisclosed injury.

Whether Eichenberg and Cotton practice this week or participate in Saturday's preseason finale against the Jacksonville Jaguars likely will be decided by Miami's medical staff. However, the Dolphins have generally take the cautious route when it comes to players and injuries during the training camp and the preseason.

Dolphins running low on guards

At this point, risking more injuries a week after Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead suffered a scary right ankle or foot injury wouldn't be wise, especially since Miami can finish out the final preseason game with Wynn, Robert Hunt, Dan Feeney and Kion Smith manning the guard spots against the Jaguars.

It's possible that Wynn could begin the season as Miami's starting left guard, and his performance will dictate how long he keeps the starting role.

Wynn, a 2018 first-round pick, has played and practiced exclusively at left guard this preseason, returning to the spot he played at the University of Georgia.