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Jaelan Phillips

AFC East Rumors: Van Pelt, Jets, Dolphins

January 15th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Sam Robinson

Both the Giants and Vikings submitted viable offers to the Patriots for the No. 3 overall pick last year, with each NFC franchise eyeing Drake Maye. Each would have netted the Pats an additional second-rounder in last year’s draft and a first this year. New York’s proposal would have given New England this year’s third overall choice, but Maye now serves as the Pats’ franchise centerpiece. Ultimately, then-acting GM Eliot Wolf and ownership stayed and picked Maye. Though, there appeared to be some supporters of accepting a trade-down offer. At the time, it is believed OC Alex Van Pelt was among those who viewed the Pats’ roster as too deficient to pass on moving down, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin notes.

While it may not be certain Mike Vrabel moves on from Van Pelt, the OC effectively confirmed this by telling friends he had been fired following the team’s Week 18 game. This came despite the organization being pleased with how he had helped develop Maye. Vrabel’s next play-caller’s chief assignment will be elevating Maye to another level in 2025.

Here is the latest from the AFC East:

  • In December, Davante Adams was noncommittal about his Jets future. After all, the player responsible for him being traded to New York — Aaron Rodgers — appears on his way out. After the season, Adams did not confirm (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) he would be following Rodgers out the door, but he said staying with the team post-Rodgers would depend on a few factors. Adams’ Raiders-built contract runs through 2026. Allen Lazard was more enthusiastic about staying with the Jets. The lower-profile Rodgers come-with guy at receiver, Lazard went from being a healthy scratch at a point in 2023 to totaling 530 yards and six touchdowns this season. Lazard said (via Cimini) he wants to stay and later retire a Jet. Though, his four-year, $44MM contract would produce $11MM in savings if removed from the payroll via a post-June 1 release.
  • Calais Campbell said before season’s end he was not closing the door on playing an 18th NFL season, and the accomplished defensive lineman noted after the Dolphins‘ year wrapped (via ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques) that he will consider an age-39 slate. Campbell notched five sacks, and his 12 tackles for loss were his most since 2018. The Dolphins had him on their books for just $2MM this season, and after they nearly traded him back to the Ravens at the deadline, it stands to reason the Miami alum will look into landing with a contender soon.
  • Elsewhere on the Dolphins’ roster, both Jaelan Phillips and Austin Jackson are expected to be fine for the 2025 opener, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Phillips, who suffered an Achilles tear in 2023 and a partially torn ACL this season, is going into his fifth-year option campaign. Jackson, who suffered a meniscus tear, is tied to a three-year, $36MM extension. Swing tackle Kendall Lamm is almost definitely set to depart in free agency, Jackson adds. The Dolphins’ Patrick Paul second-round draft choice had pointed the veteran elsewhere. That said, Grier said the Dolphins “are going to have to” invest in O-linemen this offseason. While the team has three higher-end tackle investments under contract, its interior situation is less solidified.
  • Staying with O-lines, Vrabel confirmed (via the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi) the Patriots‘ front will be a priority this offseason. This echoes a recent report that suggested OL and WR would be New England’s top target areas. The Pats struggled up front, with the loss of David Andrews and the left tackle carousel being among the issues. Vrabel leaned on the ground game in Tennessee, largely because of Derrick Henry‘s presence, but the Pats have by far the most cap space exiting the season. With questions existing just about everywhere outside of Michael Onwenu‘s presence (and even his position has fluctuated), allocating considerable resources up front seems likely as the Pats attempt to protect Maye.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/24

October 3rd, 2024 at 7:33pm CST by Ely Allen

Thursday’s minor transactions from around the NFL:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Phillips’ spot on the 53-man roster was filled today when Miami signed outside linebacker Tyus Bowser from Seattle’s practice squad.

The young running back in Baltimore will have his 21-day practice window opened as he attempts to come back from injury after being placed on injured reserve the day of the season opener.

Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips To Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery

October 2nd, 2024 at 10:03pm CST by Adam La Rose

Jaelan Phillips has once again run into injury trouble which will cut his season short. The fourth-year Dolphins edge rusher announced on Wednesday he will miss the remainder of the campaign.

Phillips’ statement notes he suffered a knee injury during Miami’s Week 4 loss on Monday night. As Rapoport detailed in a subsequent report, Phillips sustained a partially-torn ACL, which will require reconstructive surgery and set him up for another lengthy rehab process that will hopefully allow him to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. As a result, the Dolphins will be without one of their top defenders the rest of this season while attempting to rebound from a 1-3 start.

Medical red flags were present when Phillips entered the NFL, but he did not miss any time during his first two seasons. That situation changed last year when the former first-rounder suffered an Achilles tear on Black Friday. Phillips was limited to eight games as a result, and his promising campaign came to an abrupt end. As expected, he was back to full strength in time for the start of the 2024 slate, but in short order he has once again been sidelined by a major injury.

The UCLA and Miami product had an encouraging rookie campaign, notching 8.5 sacks. He followed that up with seven one year later and 6.5 (before the injury) last season, leading to high expectations for his production in 2024. Phillips, 25, managed only one sack and a pair of pressures before going down, but his absence will still be acutely felt on a Dolphins team dealing with key injuries at a number of positions.

Of course, Miami’s edge contingent has been without Bradley Chubb so far this season. The two-time Pro Bowler remains on the PUP list as he rehabs the ACL tear which ended his 2023 campaign. With the first four weeks of the season in the books, Chubb is eligible to return to practice and be activated at any time. It remains to be seen, however, when the former Bronco will be healthy enough to suit up. Without Chubb (for the time being) and Phillips for the season’s remainder, Miami will rely on the likes of veteran Emmanuel Ogbah and rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara along the edge.

The Dolphins picked up Phillips’ 2025 fifth-year option, tying him to a salary of $13.3MM that year. A long-term deal loomed as a logical path for the team to take given his early production, but back-to-back injuries creating lengthy absences will no doubt affect Miami’s approach to negotiations on that front. Phillips will turn his attention to rehab ahead of an offseason in which his financial future will be a key talking point.

Dolphins Activate OLB Jaelan Phillips

August 12th, 2024 at 9:40am CST by Adam La Rose

Miami has received positive news on the health front with respect to Jaelan Phillips. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday the fourth-year edge rusher has been activated from the active/PUP list.

As a result, Phillips is now eligible to return to practice. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since the Achilles tear he suffered on Black Friday, and his offseason has been centered on his ability to recover. Returning to action in time for Week 1 has long been a goal, and today’s news is an encouraging sign Phillips will be able to meet it.

Having at least one of Phillips or Bradley Chubb in place by that point would be critical for Miami’s edge rush corps. The latter is rehabbing an ACL tear, and his availability for the start of the campaign remains a question mark. The Phillips-Chubb tandem will handle starting duties when healthy, and with Shaquil Barrett retiring before making his Miami debut, veteran depth could be an issue. The Dolphins do, of course, have rookies Chop Robinson and Mohamed Kamara in place as rotational options.

Miami made the expected decision of picking up Phillips’ 2025 fifth-year option this spring. That move set him up to earn $13.3MM next season, although a long-term deal could be in the cards as well. The UCLA and Miami alum flashed considerable potential as a rookie, racking up 8.5 sacks. That was followed up by seven the year after and another strong showing in the first portion of the 2023 campaign. Phillips recorded 6.5 sacks and 17 pressures before suffering the injury. He now has a short window to ramp up in time for the start of the campaign.

In other Dolphins news, Wyatt Ray‘s efforts to return to the NFL have led him to Miami. The veteran edge rusher has joined the Dolphins, per an announcement from his agency. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported earlier Monday that Ray, 27 worked out for the team. The former UDFA has made 23 appearances in the NFL split across three teams. He posted 5.5 sacks with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas this spring, and that production has landed him the opportunity to compete for a roster spot.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/18/24

July 18th, 2024 at 8:24pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

As a reminder, players who land on the physically unable to perform list or the non-football injury list can be activated at any time during training camp or the preseason. If players remain on either of those two lists following initial 53-man rosters, they’ll be forced to sit out the first four games of the 2024 season.

While the majority of the Dolphins’ injuries were expected, Isaiah Wynn‘s placement on PUP is a bit of a surprise. The offensive lineman continues to recover from a quadriceps injury that ended his 2023 campaign in October, but his rehab is apparently taking longer than expected. After mostly playing offensive tackle to begin his career, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald says the former first-round pick is expected to be the “front-runner” at left guard once he’s healthy enough to see the field. Jackson also passed along that Salvon Ahmed‘s issue isn’t related to his season-ending foot injury from last season and is a result of a “minor medical issue.” The RB is firmly on the roster bubble heading into training camp.

2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

April 24th, 2024 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2021 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

  • Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
  • One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
  • Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
    • At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
    • A 75% snap average across all three seasons
    • At least 50% in each of first three seasons
  • Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

  1. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars ($25.66MM): Exercised
  2. QB Zach Wilson, Broncos* ($22.41MM): Declined
  3. QB Trey Lance, Cowboys** ($22.41MM): Declined
  4. TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($10.88MM): Exercised
  5. WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($21.82MM): Exercised
  6. WR Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($15.59MM): Exercised
  7. T Penei Sewell, Lions ($19MM): Extended through 2029
  8. CB Jaycee Horn, Panthers ($12.47MM): Exercised
  9. CB Patrick Surtain, Broncos ($19.82MM): Exercised
  10. WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($15.59MM): Extended through 2028
  11. QB Justin Fields, Steelers*** ($25.66MM): Declined
  12. DE Micah Parsons, Cowboys ($21.32MM): Exercised
  13. T Rashawn Slater, Chargers ($19MM): Exercised
  14. OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jets ($13.31MM): Exercised
  15. QB Mac Jones, Jaguars**** ($25.66MM): Declined
  16. LB Zaven Collins, Cardinals ($13.25MM): Declined
  17. T Alex Leatherwood, Raiders: N/A
  18. LB Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins ($13.3MM): Exercised
  19. LB Jamin Davis, Commanders ($14.48MM): Declined
  20. WR Kadarius Toney, Chiefs***** ($14.35MM): Declined
  21. DE Kwity Paye, Colts ($13.4MM): Exercised
  22. CB Caleb Farley, Titans ($12.47MM): Declined
  23. T Christian Darrisaw, Vikings ($16MM): Exercised
  24. RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($6.79MM): Declined
  25. RB Travis Etienne, Jaguars ($6.14MM): Exercised
  26. CB Greg Newsome, Browns ($13.38MM): To be exercised
  27. WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens ($14.35MM): N/A; extended through 2026
  28. DE Payton Turner, Saints ($13.39MM): Declined
  29. CB Eric Stokes, Packers ($12.47MM): Declined
  30. DE Greg Rousseau, Bills ($13.39MM): Exercised
  31. LB Odafe Oweh, Ravens ($13.25MM): Exercised
  32. LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Buccaneers ($13.25MM): Declined

* = Jets traded Wilson on April 22, 2024
** = 49ers traded Lance on August 25, 2023
*** = Bears traded Fields on March 16, 2024
**** = Patriots traded Jones on March 10, 2024
***** = Giants traded Toney on October 27, 2022

Dolphins To Exercise OLB Jaelan Phillips’ Fifth-Year Option

April 16th, 2024 at 12:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

While Jaylen Waddle is on Miami’s extension radar, the team is making the clear-cut decision to push his rookie contract through 2025 via the fifth-year option. The other Dolphins 2021 first-round pick will also see his deal extended by a year.

Despite going down with an Achilles tear on Black Friday, Jaelan Phillips will secure some additional guarantees soon. The Dolphins are planning to exercise the edge rusher’s fifth-year option by the May 2 deadline, GM Chris Grier said Tuesday (via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson). The option is fully guaranteed.

Because Phillips’ injury trouble limited him to eight games last season, the zero-time Pro Bowler’s option number is set to come in at $13.3MM. That doubles as the lowest tier for linebackers on this year’s option structure. Phillips needed to play at least 50% of the Dolphins’ defensive snaps in each of his three seasons or cross the 75% snap barrier in two of the three. The ex-Miami Hurricanes cog would have been on track to cross the first of those thresholds had he not suffered the Achilles tear; that would have made the option number $14.5MM.

Phillips, 24, flashed as a rookie by recording 8.5 sacks under Brian Flores in 2021. In 2022, the 6-foot-5 edge defender posted a career-high 25 QB hits. Phillips appeared well on his way to his first double-digit sack season last year; in eight games, Phillips tallied 6.5. Had Phillips not missed three games early last season, he would have been eligible for Tier 3 of this year’s option structure. As a result, the Dolphins will receive a slight discount as they continue to evaluate the player.

The Dolphins committed big dollars to Bradley Chubb‘s extension just after acquiring him at the 2022 deadline, but their edge-rushing situation changed dramatically after the injuries to both starters. Chubb is rehabbing the ACL tear he sustained in Week 17. By the wild-card round, Miami needed to plug in a few emergency free agents — from Melvin Ingram to Justin Houston to Bruce Irvin. The Dolphins now have Shaq Barrett in the fold; the veteran may well be needed to start if one of the rehabbing edges is not ready to go in Week 1.

Re-emerging by Week 1 will be the goal for Phillips, who seems likely to begin training camp on the active/PUP list. A transfer to the reserve/PUP list would mean four missed games. Phillips has a big opportunity ahead, with a return to his pre-injury form setting up either a pricey extension or this contract coming with another team.

The Dolphins have identified some players they want to extend — from Waddle to Jevon Holland to Tua Tagovailoa. With Chubb and Tyreek Hill tied to lucrative deals, other corners could need to be cut. But a Phillips extension profiles as a back-burner issue. The Dolphins’ payroll could look quite different by the time a second Phillips contract goes on the books.

Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips Aiming To Return In Week 1?

April 13th, 2024 at 6:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Dolphins’ defense was severely shorthanded to close out the 2023 season, and the unit was without edge rusher Jaelan Phillips after Miami’s Black Friday contest. He could be back in the fold by the start of the coming campaign, however.

While appearing at a University of Miami spring game on Saturday, Phillips said, “I’ll definitely be back healthy for the season” (h/t Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). That declaration may not mean he will be available for Week 1 in 2024, but an early return to the field would represent a massive boost to the Dolphins’ edge contingent. Phillips is rehabbing the Achilles tear which brought an end to his third NFL season.

That injury comes with a particularly long recovery timeline, though players in recent years have been succesful in cutting down on the time needed to rehab effectively. Taking the field in Week 1 in Phillips’ case would represent roughly 10 months from the time of his injury, the first of his tenure with the Dolphins. Of course, the former first-rounder’s college career was marred by a number of ailments, so his ability to return to full health will be a key storyline to follow over the coming months.

If Phillips can indeed suit up for the start of the 2024 season, Miami will have an impact starter available along the edge. The 24-year-old racked up 6.5 sacks in eight contests last campaign, putting him on track to eclipse his career high in that regard (8.5). Expectations will be high for him whenever he is able to take the field, especially given the uncertainty the team has at the outside linebacker spot for the time being.

Bradley Chubb is rehabbing an ACL tear suffered in December, and the Dolphins’ only move in free agency along the edge has been the addition of Shaquil Barrett. While Chubb is on track to play at some point in 2024, Barry reports Cameron Goode is “very much in question” to be in the lineup early in the campaign. For that reason, Barry adds Miami should be expected to add one or two rookies during or after the upcoming draft.

The Dolphins own six selections this year, though only two of them fall within the first four rounds. Drafting one of the top edge rush options on the board would thus come as little surprise, although in any event a healthy Phillips would help Miami’s front seven as it transitions under new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/28/23

November 28th, 2023 at 7:02pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Houston Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Signed to active roster: CB Ekow Boye-Doe

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Following the addition of Michael Carter and the return of Emari Demercado, the Cardinals didn’t have any room for Keaontay Ingram. The 2022 sixth-round pick got into 20 games across one-plus seasons in Arizona, collecting 181 yards from scrimmage and one touchdown. If the running back passes through waivers, there’s a chance he lands on the Cardinals practice squad.

Charlie Heck is back on the Texans active roster after missing the first two-plus months of the season. The offensive lineman was recovering from a back injury that “involved sciatica that went down to his foot,” per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The former fourth-round pick will look to carve out a role after starting 17 of his 35 NFL appearances through his first three seasons in the NFL.

Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips Suffers Achilles Tear

November 25th, 2023 at 12:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

NOVEMBER 25: An MRI has confirmed that Phillips tore his Achilles and will miss the rest of the season, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

NOVEMBER 24: The Dolphins’ defense looks to have suffered a signficant loss. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips departed Miami’s Black Friday victory after suffering a non-contact injury which caused him to be carted off the field.

The Dolphins quickly ruled Phillips out with an Achilles injury. Given the timing of their announcement and the nature of the play in which he went down, fears of an Achilles tear have emerged. The fact the injury took place at MetLife Stadium – which has been the subject of widespread criticism for the number of major injuries suffered there – certainly does not help in that regard.

More is yet to be discovered with post-game testing, but ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Phillips has been described by a Dolphins staffer as “another MetLife victim.” That points to a signficant absence being in store for the 24-year-old, something which would mark a major blow to his third season with the Dolphins and the team’s pass rush. Phillips posted 5.5 sacks in seven games heading into today’s win over the Jets, and he added another prior to exiting the contest.

The former first-rounder had an injury history dating back to college, having been limited to 10 contests across two seasons at UCLA. After briefly retiring from football, Phillips transferred to Miami and delivered a strong campaign. That helped his draft stock, and optimism for his future as an impact edge rusher increased when he recorded 8.5 sacks as a rookie. Phillips managed to play a full regular season that year, and he did so again in 2022 while collecting seven sacks and taking on a larger snap share. His workload (73% snap rate) in 2023 matched that of last season, meaning he will be difficult to replace moving forward presuming he is forced to miss time.

Bradley Chubb is in place as a starter on the edge for Miami, after he signed a lucrative extension upon his arrival. After being traded midseason by the Broncos in 2022, Chubb has collected 8.5 sacks in 18 regular season Dolphins contests. Emmanuel Ogbah will likely be tasked with filling in for Phillips, something which will mark a signficant jump in playing time for the former. Ogbah has seen a snap share of just 21% this season, and a report from last month lists him as a cut candidate after the campaign.

Ogbah is attached to a $15MM salary in 2023, and the Dolphins would see considerable cap savings by moving on this offseason. The veteran could help his chances of remaining in Miami, or at least boost his free agent stock after being released, with a strong showing down the stretch. The fact he will likely be thrust into a first-team role, however, is a sign of how shorthanded Miami’s pass rush could find itself to close out a promising campaign.

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