Sieler Is Back, But the Defensive Tackle Picture Is Still Thin

Zach Sieler has returned to active status after the week-to-week designation Jeff Hafley put on him last Tuesday, which is the good news. The less comfortable news is that the depth chart behind him at tackle remains James Ester and Alex Huntley — two names that have not yet had to prove anything in a game that counts.

The Sieler scare arrived at the worst possible moment, right as preseason competition was starting, and it exposed how little margin Miami has at the position. Darrell Baker Jr. is still unavailable at defensive end, which compounds the thinness across the entire front. Clelin Ferrell was signed in late July specifically to add bodies at that level, and he's active, but Ferrell is an end, not a tackle solution.

My read is that the next two preseason weeks matter more for this unit than almost anywhere else on the roster. Ester and Huntley need real snaps, and the coaching staff needs to know what it actually has before the calendar turns to September. Sieler being healthy helps — but one healthy starter on a thin line is a relief, not a resolution.