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The Miami Dolphins' offensive line will need a lot of retooling during the final week of training camp. With starting right tackle Austin Jackson suffering a semi-serious leg injury in practice, the team added veteran Germain Ifedi to its offseason roster.
Miami signed Ifedi on Sunday morning, the team announced on social media. They subsequently waived quarterback Brett Gabbert to make room.
The move came after the Dolphins confirmed that Jackson would be out for multiple weeks. The sixth-year tackle was stepped on in practice, an unfortunate minor setback after he missed nine games in 2024 due to a knee injury. Miami expects Jackson to be back by the start of the regular season.
Ifedi, an eight-year veteran, appeared in 15 games for the Cleveland Browns in 2024, starting seven of them. His return with the Browns ended a one-year hiatus from the NFL.
In the same announcement, the Dolphins also confirmed they activated safety Ifeatu Melifonwu from the non-football injury list. Miami signed Melifonwu in free agency shortly after losing star Jevon Holland to the New York Giants.
Dolphins' offensive line woes continue with Austin Jackson injury
While each offensive line position is vital to every team, right tackle is a particularly crucial element of the Dolphins' offense. The left-handed Tua Tagovailoa forces the entire blocking scheme to shift, giving Miami's right tackle the same duties as any other team's left tackle.
In that sense, Jackson's absence could be particularly concerning if he remains out longer than the team expects. While Ifedi will compete in training camp, the Dolphins will likely turn to former Chicago Bears starter Larry Borom to fill a larger role.
Jackson's injury is the latest of a string of mishaps among the Dolphins' offensive line. The positional group got off to a horrific start to training camp when reserve Bayron Matos was airlifted off the field during one of the team's first practice sessions. Matos was admitted to a nearby hospital, where he has since been released.
The team has also endured injuries to center Aaron Brewer and guard Liam Eichenberg, who have both missed time during training camp. Brewer has since returned, but Eichenberg remains on the PUP list with an undisclosed injury.
