Phillips comes off PUP. Dolphins sign veteran edge player, lose key special teams player
Dolphins standout outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips is coming off the physically unable to perform list on Monday, raising hopes that he could be available for the Dolphins’ Sept. 8 opener against Jacksonville.
Phillips sustained a torn Achilles in a Nov. 24 game against the Jets and has been seen running and cutting well while working on the sideline during practice.
By coming off the PUP list, Phillips is now eligible to practice. He said in April that he will be ready for the season.
“What I got to learn about Jaelan Phillips is he’s a very capable strong learner,” coach Mike McDaniel said. “This was a test of internal fortitude. He has always been an impact player, but right when he was injured, there was momentum swinging in a positive regard...
“He was playing with a different level of confidence. He wants to be great in the worst way. It is a long vision challenge to attack this injury appropriately. He wants to fix the issue and go play. To watch him diligently go about the process,.. to be patient and to have vision for his teammates, .. . I’ve been very proud how he’s attacked that and doing things that leaders do. We are excited to see him go to the next stage and see his body respond to that.”
On the flip side, the Dolphins lost two linebackers, potentially for the season. UCLA rookie edge player Grayson Murphy and linebacker Cam Brown (a former special teams ace for the Giants) were placed on injured reserve. Murphy has a knee injury; Brown’s injury was undisclosed.
Brown, who was having a good camp, can play both inside and outside linebacker. His loss will be felt on special teams.
Under new NFL rules, players placed on IR during training camp are eligible to return during the season, but a team can bring back no more than eight players off IR and no more than two who were placed on IR during training camp, before the 53-man roster is set. Those eight players are eligible to return after missing four regular-season games.
To replace those two players, Miami signed veteran edge player Wyatt Ray and linebacker David Anenih.
Ray has played 344 defensive snaps in the NFL and played in the UFL last season. He was one of five edge players who worked out for the Dolphins on Monday morning.
Ray, who attended St. Thomas Aquinas and went undrafted out of Boston College in 2019, has been on seven NFL teams and has appeared in 23 regular-season games, with two starts - one for Tennessee in 2020 and one for Cincinnati in 2021.
He has two career sacks and 20 tackles, including one for loss.
Ray, who is 6-3 and 245 pounds, last played in the NFL in 2022, when he played three games for Denver and one for Tennessee. He played 55 defensive snaps in 2022.
Ray -- the grandson of jazz singer Nat King Cole -- had 16.5 sacks and 24 tackles for loss in four years at Boston College.
Anenih, who is 6-2 and 245 pounds, went undrafted out of Houston in 2022, has spent time with Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and Arizona but has never appeared in an NFL game.
MORE INJURY NEWS
Bradley Chubb remains on the PUP list after sustaining a torn ACL in a Dec. 31 game against Baltimore. The team hasn’t disclosed his timetable for a return but nothing appears imminent.
Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. won’t be coming off the PUP list this week. He remains “week to week,” coach Mike McDaniel said.
Among other injured receivers, Eriz Ezukanma is returning to practice on Monday and Braxton Berrios is close to returning.
Tight end Tanner Conner, who left Friday’s game grimacing, is out with an undisclosed injury. He will be “working his way back,” McDaniel said. “I don’t expect [him back] in the next couple of practices. Beyond that, it’s hard for me to forecast.”
McDaniel lamented the loss of guard Kion Smith, who sustained a season-ending ACL injury in Friday’s preseason win against Atlanta. “One of our favorite guys to coach,” McDaniel said. “That was tough.”
McDaniel addressed other issues on Monday:
▪ He said “I’ve seen some of Jeff Wilson’s best ball that I’ve seen him play.”
▪ On rookie safety Patrick McMorris, who had eight tackles and two for loss against Friday: “It’s been cool to see Pat develop in non padded situations. You’ve seen a player directly take drill work and apply it in his game and evolve his game.”
This story was originally published August 12, 2024 at 10:20 AM.
