Miami Dolphins lose starting offensive lineman in first half against Houston Texans

Greg Mancz returned to the Miami Dolphins’ starting lineup at center Sunday, but exited in the first quarter with another injury and did not return.

The offensive lineman went down with an ankle injury with 8:13 left in the first quarter against the Houston Texans and was originally listed as questionable to return. The Dolphins later downgraded him and ruled him out early in the third quarter.

Center Austin Reiter, who started the last two games, replaced Mancz in the lineup after the injury at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Mancz missed the Dolphins’ loss to the Atlanta Falcons last month with a groin injury. He returned to the active roster last Sunday against the Buffalo Bills, but backed up Reiter and only played on special teams in another Miami loss. Before the last two weeks, Mancz had started three straight games for the Dolphins.

Mancz, who joined Miami in an August trade with the Baltimore Ravens, took over as the starting center last month after the Dolphins placed interior lineman Michael Deiter on injured reserve.

Aside from Mancz’s in-and-out status, Miami has found relative stability on the offensive line in the last month. For five straight games, Liam Eichenberg has started at left tackle, Austin Jackson has started at right guard, Robert Hunt has started at right guard and Jesse Davis has started at left tackle, with either Mancz or Reiter at center.

The Dolphins have used eight different starting offensive linemen this season: Eichenberg, Jackson, Mancz, Hunt, Davis, Reiter, Deiter and guard Solomon Kindley.

Reserve tight end Durham Smythe also briefly exited the game with an eye injury in the first quarter, but was able to return before halftime and make a late 21-yard catch to set up a touchdown with 29 seconds left in the second quarter.

This story was originally published November 7, 2021 at 3:07 PM.