The Dolphins are cutting defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, a source tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). Phillips was visibly upset on the sidelines Sunday due to his playing time and his release is likely related. Clearly, there’s no love lost for the former second-round pick.
“Free at last, free at last,” Phillips wrote on Instagram (Twitter link via Cameron Wolfe of ESPN.com). “[I’m] no longer a Miami Dolphin. Good luck to my brothers on the team. I’ll miss y’all but I couldn’t be happier to be out of there.I’m in my bag, don’t take it personal. Sometimes [you’ve] got to put your future in your own hands and live with it.”
Though four games, Phillips saw action on 124 defensive snaps. He had a season-high 46 snaps in Week 3 against the Raiders, but his usage dropped back down to 25 snaps in Sunday’s blowout loss to the Pats.
Head coach Adam Gase may be sending a message to his team, not unlike last year when he traded talented running back Jay Ajayi to the Eagles. Phillips might not be as much of a game-changer as Ajayi, but he does have 5.5 sacks over the last three years and change. It’s likely that Phillips will be picked up quickly by a club that is in need of interior defensive line help.
The Dolphins already lost William Hayes for the season and fellow defensive end Andre Branch is sidelined with a knee injury, so they’re not exactly working with a surplus on the defensive line. Akeem Spence, Davon Godchaux, and Vincent Taylor will be charged with keeping things afloat in the middle for now, but the Dolphins will surely sign a defensive tackle this week.
With Phillips out of the picture, wide receiver DeVante Parker and cornerback Bobby McCain stand as the last remaining Dolphins from the 2015 draft class. Phillips (2nd round), Jamil Douglas (4th), Ajayi (5th), Cedric Thompson (5th), and Tony Lippett (5th) are no longer with the club.
Packers are on line 1
He’s lazy.