Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler suffered a fractured orbital bone during practice this week, per NFL Media. He is obviously ruled out for Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals, and the team is reportedly in the process of evaluating him to determine how much time he will miss. Depending on the severity of the fracture, he may or may not require surgery.
The Dolphins prioritized paying Sieler, a seventh-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, as they re-signed him to a three-year, $30.8 million extension in 2023 over their 2019 13th overall pick defensive lineman Christian Wilkins. They let him walk in free agency, and he signed a four-year, $110 million contract this offseason with the Las Vegas Raiders. Miami picked up Sieler off of waivers in 2019, and since he became a regular part of their defensive line rotation in 2020 he has been one of their better players up front. Sieler’s 21.0 sacks since 2020 are the third most on the team in that span while his 153 quarterback pressures are the second most, trailing only Emmanuel Ogbah’s 171 in that time.
Miami could have a difficult time containing Cardinals Pro Bowl quarterback Kyler Murray in Week 8 without Sieler’s presence. The next man up is seven-year NFL veteran Da’Shawn Hand, who has also played for the Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans.
