MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins tackle Austin Jackson told reporters Thursday that he feels “stronger than ever” after ankle injuries caused him to miss all but 84 snaps of the 2022 season.
But that’s not the biggest reason to believe that things will finally click for Jackson in 2023.
Miami Dolphins: 2023 Outlook for Austin Jackson
The biggest reason to believe that Jackson will take a leap forward in his fourth NFL season is the calendar. Even though it seems like Jackson has been in the league forever, he’s still just 23 — at least for another week.
That still makes him one of the youngest players on a Dolphins roster that collectively is the 13th-oldest in football.
“I couldn’t even drink,” Jackson said, harkening back to his first few months as a pro. “I had to wait about two months when I got down here to officially turn 21. It doesn’t matter. The reason we are here is because we have always had that confidence and belief in the process and our hard work and who we are, to compete and play football.
“It’s something we’ve been playing for so long. I played so much football in college and high school. We’re confident and serious about it, and it shows up in our work ethic and our performance.”
Jackson in 2020 shared a draft class with Tua Tagovailoa and Noah Igbinoghene. All three went in the first round. And all three were pups when they together entered the league.
It’s no surprise each took some lumps early. They weren’t too far removed from adolescence.
Now all three are stronger, more experienced, and expected to play significant roles on a Dolphins team that has no more patience for growing pains. They’re built to win now, and they need players like Jackson to play the best ball of their careers.
For Jackson, that means doing his job “correctly and extremely well every single play.”
And his job as the Dolphins’ starting right tackle?
Protecting Tua Tagovailoa’s blind side.
“I love that responsibility,” Jackson said. “I truly do. It’s what I get up and work for. It’s what I get up and train for. It’s what I study for. It’s what I take care of my body for, so we can be the dominant line that we need to be in order for Tua to keep being himself. He’s a great quarterback. He’s going to get the ball out anyways, but he needs more time from us and that’s a responsibility we take every single day.”