Jaelen Phillips Gives Mike McDaniel & Dolphins Injury News On Saturday After Training Camp Scare

Injuries are rapidly becoming the highlights of the ‘25 offseason. Every day, new names line up the sidelines with grim injury updates, marring their chances at a season that is still a month away. The Miami Dolphins are no different. The memories of Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill’s injuries were still fresh on everyone’s mind. HC Mike McDaniel was taking a cautious approach to camp this summer. But after the injuries to Bayron Matos and Artie Burns, there’s another star that’s given an injury scare: Dolphins’ linebacker Jaelen Phillips.

Injuries have kept Jaelen Phillips on the sidelines for the majority of the last two seasons. A torn Achilles injury ended his ‘23 campaign, which kept him on the PUP list before the next season began. In the ‘24 season, Phillips suffered another season-ending knee injury in the Week 4 loss against the Titans. His durability was already in question the last two years, and now, this latest development adds more worries. But Phillips himself doesn’t seem that concerned.

As per reports, Jaelen Phillips was notably on the ground in pain after a play in training camp. He got up and gave a thumbs-up to the fans. He even tried to jog, but as the discomfort mounted, he went to the trainers. Walking gingerly, he slowly left the field after the trainers looked at his left knee. But the man himself has taken to X to shed light on the matter. The injury isn’t as serious as it seemed at first, as Phillips wrote on X, “I just got leg whipped yall chill out 😂 just a bruise.”

For the Dolphins, the three-peat combo of Bradley Chubb, Chop Robinson and Phillips were going to be the pass rush cornerstone. Chubb is also coming off an injury riddled 2024 campaign, While Phillips certainly sounds confident the injury is “just a bruise.” How fast he can come back to the field will determine his 2025 season. As Phillips enters his 5th NFL year, it’s also notably his contract year with the Dolphins. With a noticeable trend of injuries following him, his health this season will be of paramount importance.

The Dolphins are also notably undergoing a culture shift under Tua Tagovailoa’s leadership. Tyreek Hill is understanding the mechanisms of the offensive playbook at last. The backfield needs to be strong to support the dynamic duo. But with more injury concerns, things aren’t looking that great for the Dolphins at the moment.

Injury concerns piling up for the Miami Dolphins

RT Austin Jackson was notably absent from the practice on Saturday, August 2. Entering his 6th year in Miami, Austin notably has high hopes for the ground game this season. But if the injuries continue to pile up across the roster, one has to wonder how well they can actually fare when September rolls around. Along with Jackson’s absence, there were also a few more notable medical emergencies.

Zach Wilson and Jack Jones both had trainers look at them during Saturday’s camp. While Wilson came back, WR Dee Eskridge had to be carted off the field following what looked like a hamstring injury. The team had also recently placed CB Kader Kohou on the IR following an ACL injury, ending his season even before it began. Veteran Artie Burns also suffers the same fate as Kohou with a torn ACL. As for Bayron Matos, he at least, seems to be doing better now. A medical team airlifted Matos to the hospital after he suffered an upper body injury. He has since been released, according to recent reports. However, his return to the field still seems far off at the moment.

The Dolphins now face a decisive crossroads. With more injuries popping up as camp progresses, the roster spots will be up for grabs for the rookies and the backups. But can they fill the gaps the vets have left? Mike McDaniel has notably signed QB Brett Gabbert behind Tua Tagovailoa to add some veteran experience in the QB room. Now, the front office might have to keep doing the same thing across the board. Can the Dolphins take stock of all their injuries, and still make a splash in the new season? Only a few more weeks to go before we find out.