Dolphins’ Eichenberg will ‘miss some time’ with knee injury. Jackson to come off IR

Dolphins left guard Liam Eichenberg will be sidelined for an undetermined amount of time with a knee injury he sustained in Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.

Eichenberg, who has started all eight games this season, was carted off the field in the third quarter after quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s go-ahead touchdown pass to tight end Mike Gesicki.

“It was definitely on the positive side of bad news that he got hurt,” McDaniel said. “But it was a pleasant surprise. We’re getting various opinions. He’s going to miss some time.”

McDaniel said Eichenberg did not sustain an injury to multiple knee ligaments. NFL Network reported that Eichenberg injured his MCL.

Eichenberg, the No. 42 overall pick in the 2021 Draft, has struggled in the first half of the 2022 season but coaches have praised his growth in a new position after playing left tackle and right tackle as a rookie. Pro Football Focus gave Eichenberg his highest grade of the season against the Lions; Eichenberg had not allowed any sacks or pressures prior to his injury Sunday.

Second-year player Robert Jones filled in for Eichenberg on Sunday, playing the remaining 15 offensive snaps, and he is expected to start at left guard while Eichenberg is sidelined.

Jones, who signed with the team as an undrafted rookie last season, would make his first start since the 2021 regular-season finale when he played at right tackle against the New England Patriots.

“Because of all the different variables that have been occurring all season,” McDaniel said, “the offensive line, ironically, can become pretty fortunate with given opportunities and a lot of opportunities in practice and games for him to get play time and work on his craft.

“Because of watching [Jones] practice, I’m very confident in his ability to step in and continue. The last two games, in particular, we were getting pretty good left guard play and I’m confident that he can step in and really continue that whole process.”

Meanwhile, McDaniel also said that right tackle Austin Jackson, who has been sidelined since Week 1 with an ankle injury, would be activated from injured reserve this week. However, Jackson is unlikely to make his return to the field in the team’s Week 9 road game against the Chicago Bears.

The Dolphins designated Jackson to return to practice from IR on Oct. 12 and he participated in two consecutive sessions but hasn’t practiced since then. NFL rules allow teams to open a 21-day return window for players on IR after they have missed four games. Once the window closes, teams must either activate the player to the 53-man roster or keep him on IR for the remainder of the season.

“At some point this week, obviously, he will return,” McDaniel said. “We’re just going to be taking it day by day. For me, I’m going to be ultra-conservative and see it as very unlikely that I would let him go out there and play this week. But that process of returning will start. We’ll take it day by day with that.”

Veteran Brandon Shell has started the last three games at right tackle, taking over Greg Little, who struggled in his four starts at the position.

With Eichenberg and Jackson both likely out for the Bears game, the Dolphins will be using their fifth different starting offensive line combination this season. Of the team’s Week 1 starting offensive line, only center Connor Williams and right guard Robert Hunt have started every game. Tagovailoa was sacked twice and pressured just three times against the Lions.

“I think Frank Smith as the offensive coordinator has done a great job working with the offensive line coaches as well,” McDaniel said, “and we’ve just really tried to emphasize certain fundamentals and techniques and get back to our roots within how do you approach each and every block.

“The long short of it is: Hard work and deliberate work and investment in their jobs and they’re starting to see better results that we’re counting on to continue to improve as the season progresses.”