Here’s why Jaelan Phillips is No. 7 on our Dolphins’ Top 20 players
(Part of a series counting down to the start of 2024 Dolphins training camp.)
After two solid seasons, Jaelan Phillips was showing signs that 2023 would be his breakout season when disaster struck.
As soon as you saw replays of Phillips going down, with no one around him, you had to assume the worst. And you would have assumed correctly. Phillips tore his Achilles. After just eight games (with 6.5 sacks), his season was over.
So too was the promised he and Bradley Chubb were beginning to realize as a tandem. It wasn’t long after that Chubb tore his ACL, meaning he and Phillips were together again, only working to rehab serious injuries.
Why Jaelan Phillips is No. 7
Phillips has 22 sacks through three seasons, which tells only part of the story. He also had 146 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 52 quarterback hits.
Because of his versatility and willingness to drop into coverage, Pro Football Focus rates him 24th among edge defenders, ahead of Joey Bosa, Danielle Hunter and Montez Sweat.
Telling stat
Every player is different, but if you're looking for a parallel at the position:
Former Dolphins end Cam Wake tore his Achilles at New England on Oct. 29, 2015. He was back on the field for the opener in 2016 and had only 1.5 sacks through the first six games … but came on strong and finished the season with 11.5 sacks, tied for third-most in his career.
Wake also made the Pro Bowl that season and was runner-up for comeback player of the year.
How we see Phillips' future
Phillips was seen walking with a hitch in the spring. He was still working with trainers and unable to practice with the rest of the team. Since Phillips' injury occurred on Nov. 24, it may be overly optimistic to expect him to be himself before November.
But Phillips just turned 25 and surely will see the Dolphins look to extend his contract, which as a first-rounder includes a fifth-year option.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins 2024: Our Top 20 player countdown rolls on with Jaelan Phillips
