Austin Jackson Restructures Contract; Opens up $8.5 Mill Cap Space
Often-injured Miami Dolphins right tackle Austin Jackson has restructured his contract to open up $8.5 million in salary cap space.
This has the Miami Dolphins as salary cap compliant for the start of the new league year, which starts today at 4 p.m. Eastern.
The restructure adds 1 additional VOID year to the end of his deal and $2.5 million in additional void-year money to this contract.
In total, Jackson has 4 VOID years total after this season on Austin Jackson’s contract.
This move gives Jackson $5.4 million of guaranteed money for this season.
This is the final year of Jackson’s deal, and he will be a free agent next year.
If Miami doesn’t re-sign him, he will have a dead cap hit on Miami’s salary cap in 2027.
OT Austin Jackson signed a 1 year, $7M restructured contract with the #Dolphins that includes $5.4M fully guaranteed, and 4 void years.
The move clears $8.5M of cap space for Miami.
— Spotrac (@spotrac) March 11, 2026
Jackson will turn 27 in August and is still in his prime, but he is always injured, and injuries have really derailed his NFL career.
He played in only 6 games for Miami in 2025 and just 8 in 2024.
In 2022, he only managed to suit up and play in 2 games.
When on the field and healthy, he has developed into a very good player, but these days, you have a better chance of seeing Haley’s comet than you do Austin Jackson on a football field.
Should Jackson stay healthy this year, Miami already has four of the five starters on the offensive line in place.
Patrick Paul at Left Tackle
Austin Jackson at Right Tackle
Aaron Brewer at Center
Jonah Savaiinaea at one of the guard spots
And Miami will need to find another starting guard, as well as a backup swing tackle and some depth.
Cole Strange signed with the LA Chargers on Monday, and Larry Borom signed with the Detroit Lions that day as well.
Miami cut James Daniels a few weeks back after he only gave Miami 3 snaps in 2025.
And there were reports he was healthy enough to return midseason but refused.
If the right person falls, I would not be shocked if the Dolphins draft an offensive lineman with the 11th overall pick in Round 1.
If it can be a tackle who can play guard for one year, then kick out to right tackle to replace Jackson in 2027, that would be ideal.
But in reality, that person will probably end up playing right tackle this year because you cannot count on or depend on Austin Jackson week to week.
Or Miami could go with a traditional guard to fill out their starting offensive line, and then invest in a quality backup swing tackle.
The key to Miami’s offensive line in 2026 will be if Jackson can stay healthy and give them close to a full season, and if Savaiinaea can improve off a dismal 2025 rookie campaign and turn into the player whom Miami traded up for to select at the Top of round 2.
If those two things happen, this offensive line can be a strength for this team this upcoming season.
