The Miami Dolphins made a number of roster moves on Monday, headlined by some thrilling news on linebacker Jaelan Phillips, who was activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.
Roster Moves | We have activated LB Jaelan Phillips off the physically unable to perform list.
We have also signed LBs David Anenih & Wyatt Ray, and placed LBs Grayson Murphy & Cam Brown on the reserve/injured list. pic.twitter.com/N1OIy2lxSa
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 12, 2024
Phillips was then able to participate in practice on Monday, a massive step forward for the 25-year-old. He penned a message via social media after getting to take the field.
Hiii @JJPhillips15 😁👋 pic.twitter.com/pQlFlJ48PJ
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) August 12, 2024
God is great!! Feeling so blessed to be back on the field with my brothers 🙏🏾 https://t.co/hAV7tj42Rf
— Jaelan Phillips ;🕴🏾® (@JJPhillips15) August 12, 2024
Phillips also spoke to the media on Monday,
“I feel great,” Phillips said. “I feel amazing. Just happy to be back out here. It was a little bit of a tease. I’m ready to start hitting some things, but it was great. I’m just so blessed to have my health and be out here running around with the boys.”
He added more.
“Like I said, it was great, but it was a tease,” Phillips said. “I need more. But like I said, I’m patient and I trust the trainers. I trust my coaches. And at the end of the day I trust myself too. So I’ll be honest with them about how I’m feeling and I know that they’ll take care of me and they want to see me back out on the field too, but they also have the long-term vision. I do as well, obviously, but Mike [McDaniel] said it perfectly. I’m my biggest enemy when it comes to trying to get back just because I’m so eager to be playing and be back out there with my guys. So yeah, it’ll all happen in this national course.”
Phillips’ return to practice is a wonderful development for the Dolphins ahead of the 2024 campaign, and it could indicate that he’ll be ready to go for Miami’s regular-season opener in a little less than a month. But he isn’t making any promises right now, with the former first-round pick explaining that he can’t provide an exact timeline just yet.
“Yeah, we’re just playing it by ear,” he said. “I mean, this is the first time I’ve practiced with the boys in eight months. So it’s hard to give you an exact timeline or exact date when I’m coming back. But all I know is that I feel great and I trust my coaching staff, I trust the training staff to get me back into play when they feel like I’m ready.”
Achilles injuries can be very tricky to return from, so Phillips and the Dolphins will certainly remain cautious as he works through the final steps of his recovery. But for now, it’s easy to be excited about all the progress he has made.
Phillips was on pace to set career-highs in numerous categories last season before his campaign ended prematurely. In eight games, he had 6.5 sacks, 43 combined tackles and seven tackles for loss.
Miami’s defense struggled at times without him, and the team ended up taking a first-round exit in the playoffs as he watched while injured. This season, Phillips and company will be looking for a very different ending to their season.
The upcoming season will be Phillips’ fourth at the NFL level. The Dolphins picked up his fifth-year option this offseason, meaning he’s currently under club control for the next two seasons. If he wants to earn a long-term deal, a productive 2024 season would serve him well.
But in the meantime, he’s clearly grateful just to be getting practice reps again, and his status will be something to monitor as the start of the regular season gets closer. The Dolphins will open things up against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 8.
