Reasons why Dolphins need to be worried about the Jaelan Phillips loss.
Why Miami Dolphins Fans Shouldn’t Be Concerned About Jaelan Phillips’ Replacement
Despite the Miami Dolphins losing Jaelan Phillips for the season, fans shouldn’t be overly concerned about who will take his place.
The Miami Dolphins improved to 8-3 on the season in a 34-13 road win over the Jets on Black Friday. But despite the win, the Dolphins also came out with a loss by losing Jaelan Phillips for the season due to an Achilles injury.
Phillips was in the middle of a breakout season which included 6.5 sacks, 43 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 11 total QB hits, and you can’t forget his first career interception.
To say that the Dolphins won’t miss Phillips at all is silly. But that does not mean that fans should be as concerned as they are right now.
For the first time in a long time, the Dolphins defensive line is elite and has depth. It may not seem like it at first to most NFL fans, but when you think about it, their production has been one of the best in the league.
It all began with the acquisition of Bradley Chubb at the trade deadline last season. After a slow start to his Dolphins tenure in 2022, Chubb has blossomed into one of the best defensive players the team has ever had and is proving to be the player the Dolphins traded for in the first place. In 2023 so far, Chubb has a total of 6 sacks, 47 tackle, 7 TFL, 4 QB Fumbles, and 12 QB Hits.
In addition to Chubb, there are three interior defensive linemen who are having arguably their best seasons as a Dolphin: Christian Wilkins (4th year), Raekwon Davis (3rd year), and Zachery Sieler (2nd year).
The big question is who will replace Phillips’ production? That may have been answered earlier in the season, when Phillips missed three of Miami’s four games due to injury.
It is Andrew Van Ginkel who usually gets the start when Phillips is out, and he is arguably the most underrated Dolphins defensive player. He has been a highly productive linebacker for years now who always seems to make a way to the quarterback. So far in 2023, Van Ginkel has 4 sacks, 42 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, and 10 total quarterback hits.
You also can not forget about Emmanuel Ogbah who is in his 4th season with the Dolphins, and Da’Shawn Hand who has been with the Lions for the past four seasons.
As if the in-house talent wasn’t enough, the Dolphins also went out and signed free agent Jason Pierre-Paul on Tuesday. The veteran is in his 14th season and was a long star for the New York Giants. He has recently played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Baltimore Ravens, and a short stint for the New Orleans Saints this season.
Although Pierre-Paul isn’t what he used to be, it is still a very nice signing for Miami who is just looking for more depth after losing Jaelan Phillips for the season. Look for Chubb, Wilkins, Davis, Sieler, Van Ginkel, Ogbah, and new addition Pieere-Paul to hold it down for the Dolphins.
