**This Article was Written and Published Before the news of Terron Armstead having to be carted off the Practice Field**

I know there has been a lot of online debate the past few days about if this Miami Dolphins roster is “loaded” or not. And honestly, it is nitpicking to an extent, as the Dolphins’ roster is very good heading into 2023.

A Top 10 roster in the NFL? YES

A Top 5 roster in the NFL? Maybe

A Top 3 roster in the NFL? Possibly

However you rank it, or what your definition of “LOADED” is, this roster is very good.

And even with the loss of a superstar in Jalen Ramsey for most likely three months of the upcoming season, it is safe to say this roster still has the depth at that position to overcome such a loss and have it not derail its season.

And when looking around at the rest of the roster, at least with the starting 22 on offense and defense, you see very few glaring holes or question marks.

The quarterback depth improved over last year.

The starting middle linebacker position upgraded, and linebacker depth overall, while not great, is better than it was in 2022.

The Tight End is not looking top-notch, but we don’t throw to tight ends, so don’t lose sleep worrying about that position group.

Moving Trill Williams to safety helped sure up some of the depth concerns there, and once Brandon Jones is back, we will be fine.

Obviously, the offensive line is an area of concern for most Dolphins fans.

Terron Armstead may only give you 13 games, but when he plays, he is fantastic.

Robert Hunt is an above-average guard who is in a contract year, so we will get the best out of him, I am sure.

Connor Williams move to center last year went great, he is also in a contract year and motivated by money, so I expect him to play well in 2023.

At left guard, it appears Liam Eichenberg won’t start. And honestly, that is best for all parties involved. Whether it’s Lester Cotton, Isiah Wynn, or Robert Jones, to me, it’s an automatic upgrade at that spot. Is left guard a strength for this team? Oh, good lord, no. But with Liam on the bench, it will be slightly (even if only ever so slightly) better than last year.

That narrows this down to right tackle and Austin Jackson.

The 18th pick of Round 1 in the 2020 draft has been underwhelming since entering the league.

He didn’t work out at left tackle or left guard, he was going to play right tackle for Miami last season but got hurt in week one, and we never saw him again.

Austin is also in a contract year as Miami has failed to pick up his fifth-year option, so he will be motivated as he is playing for his next deal. And the reports out of training camp have not been awful in regards to him.

I know a low bar, but Jackson’s career heading into this season was on life-support. He has put literally no good play on tape in three seasons, and I would venture to guess 98% of the fan base doesn’t want to see him on the field.

Per the reporters on site, while yes, he still has some rough days and moments, he has shown more strength, more fight at the point of attack, and has looked like a serviceable right tackle in drills and the 11 on 11 portions of practice each day.

Nobody will ever confuse Jackson with Forrest Gregg, Jackie Slater, or any of the great NFL right tackles of all time. But at the end of the day, if the kid improves by just 25% or 30%, or dare I say it, 50%, that will go a long way in how the Miami Dolphins season plays out.

Protecting your quarterback’s blind side is a big deal!

Especially when your quarterback is Tua! We know the injury history there.

If Austin Jackson plays well, that Dolphins offensive line all of a sudden doesn’t look so awful. Maybe not a Top 10 group in the league, but it doesn’t need to be. It would be more than good enough for this team to make a deep playoff run.

But, if Austin Jackson plays poorly and is the “Same Old Austin Jackson” with sub-par play that makes it seem like he should be in the XFL and not the NFL, this Dolphins offense and season is a house of cards.

A poor Jackson at right tackle, with what we can assume Armstead missing a few games over the course of the year, now all of a sudden, that Miami offensive line is as bad as ever. And oh yeah, Brandon Shell, who wasn’t Richmond Webb but was “good enough” to step in and save the day last year isn’t on this Dolphins team. Nobody behind the starting unit is even “Brandon Shell-caliber,” so there is nobody who will put on a red cape to come in and save the day.

That’s how important Austin Jackson is to the Dolphins this year. If he plays well, they can possibly overcome Armstead missing a handful of games. If Jackson plays poorly, this offense may struggle to move the ball at times, as opponents will know how to attack and get pressure on Tua.

I don’t want to say that the 2023 Miami Dolphins are a house of cards, and it all hinges on Austin Jackson. But in a lot of ways, the fate of the 2023 Miami Dolphins depends on how well Austin Jackson plays.

If Jackson plays well, Miami will be very successful, most likely.

If Jackson plays poorly, it may be too much for Tua, McDaniel, Tyreek, and the others to overcome if they want to be a contender and have a serious chance at a deep playoff run.