OCTOBER 31: Sieler will not require surgery, per an update from Wolfe. McDaniel is unsure at this point if returning to the lineup in time for Week 9, but in any event significant missed time beyond Miami’s next game should not be expected given that news.

OCTOBER 25: The Dolphins’ offense is set to receive a major boost in Week 8. The team’s defense will, on the other hand, be missing a key contributor for the time being.

Defensive tackle Zach Sieler suffered an orbital bone fracture in practice, Cameron Wolfe and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. He will be out for Week 8 at a minimum, but further evaluation will be needed to determine a firm recovery timeline. It remains to be seen if surgery and/or a stint on injured reserve will be required.

Missing Sieler for an extended period would deal a blow to Miami’s defensive front. The former seventh-rounder has emerged as a full-time starter during his time with the Dolphins, which dates back to the 2019 campaign. Sieler has logged a snap share of at least 77% each season since 2022, serving as a key member of the team’s D-line. Especially with free agent departure Christian Wilkins no longer in the picture, Sieler’s presence is crucial on a defense which ranks fourth in yards allowed per game.

The 29-year-old has been an important run-stopping presence over the past several years, and he chipped in as a secondary pass-rushing option as well before landing an extension last summer. That three-year, $30.75MM pact raised expectations, and Sieler delivered in 2023 with a career-high 10 sacks. Now that Wilkins is gone, Sieler has been counted on to a larger extent in terms of providing an interior rush presence. Being without it for a lengthy stretch would hinder a defense which already ranks 30th in the NFL in sacks.

Moving Sieler to IR would ensure at least a four-game absence. When speaking about the injury on Friday, head coach Mike McDaniel deemed the situation week to week (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald), so the outcome of further testing will be crucial in determining how long Sieler is sidelined for. The likes of Calais Campbell, Benito Jones and Brandon Pili will be counted on to handle a larger workload along the D-line in his absence.

Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler is set to earn an affordable $2.5MM this upcoming season, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that he’s looking for a raise. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, “it’s no secret” that Sieler is seeking a new contract.

[RELATED: Dolphins Continue To Talk Extension With DT Christian Wilkins]

Back in 2020, Sieler inked a three-year extension with Miami that will last through the 2023 campaign. At the time, the defensive lineman didn’t have much of a track record. In the two years after being selected in the seventh round, he got into nine games with the Ravens and Dolphins. He inked the extension only a few months into his first full season in Miami, and he’s more than outperformed that pact since that time.

Over the past three seasons, Sieler hasn’t missed a game for the Dolphins, starting 32 of his 50 appearances. Over that span, the 27-year-old has compiled nine sacks, 24 tackles for loss, and 26 QB hits. This past season, he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 21 interior defender (among 127 qualifying players), with the site giving him particularly high grades for his run defense.

Sieler was absent from optional OTAs but ended up showing up for this week’s mandatory minicamp. While Sieler and agent Drew Rosenhaus could have played hard ball with the Dolphins, there’s a chance they bide their time while the organization focuses on more urgent matters.

As Jackson notes, the Dolphins may have to make some tough decisions when it comes to re-signing Sieler. The front office has been negotiating with Christian Wilkins’ camp for weeks, and that final number will ultimately cut into the cash available for the rest of the defensive line. Wilkins is set to earn $10.7MM in 2023.