What to Expect from Jaelan Phillips Early in the Season

Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips has made a remarkable recovery from his Achilles injury, and the question is how many snaps he'll get early in the regular season.

Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips (15) works out during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

There remains a big question regarding Miami Dolphins edge defender Jaelan Phillips's recovery from his 2023 Achilles injury, but it's a much more pleasant one to ponder.

Where once the question was whether Phillips would be ready for the start of the 2024 regular season, it has now shifted to how many snaps he could handle in the opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the early part of the schedule.

That question still needs to be answered, but it beats the alternative.

"Yeah, I think we're going to have to listen to his body, right?" defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said before practice Tuesday. "Ultimately, I don't think you want to put a number count on that kid, but we know we have to be smart in how we approach it so that he can maintain and last throughout the entire season, but I'm certainly not counting that kid out of anything, right? You saw how fast he's gotten back from the Achilles and he looks like a man-child out there when he has gone."

Phillips returned to practice last week after being removed from the Active/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list but didn't play in the preseason game against the Washington Commanders last Saturday night.

It's probably fair to expect Phillips to also sit out the preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday night, but a pleasant development has been how he's looked in practice.

"He's looked great," Weaver said. "He's great. He looks like the Jalen Phillips we all expect to see."

CAMPBELL AND HIS SNAP COUNT

Defensive lineman Calais Campbell is another player whose snap count will be monitored regularly because of his age.

Campbell, who will turn 38 in September, played 712 snaps for the Atlanta Falcons last season (63 percent of the team's defensive snaps) and was excellent.

In an ideal world, Campbell plays fewer snaps this season, certainly a lot less than the workload in 2023 for Christian Wilkins and Zach Sieler, who each came in at over 80 percent of the defensive snaps.

"We haven't really discussed it," Campbell said, "but they're always trying to protect — usually I have to fight for extra reps because there's been a few years now where they're like, 'We want you fresh in the fourth quarter. We want you fresh later in the season when we're hopefully going to the playoffs, we want you fresh,' and I'm like, 'Yeah, yeah, trust me. I know my body. I'm ready to go. I'll let you know if I'm getting too many.' A lot of times, the sweet spot is around 35-40 plays a game, depending on how many plays you play, of course. Some games more, some games less, but that's usually where I feel I can be a predominant and productive player.

"But in this business, you just try to help win ballgames any way you can. The biggest thing is when the game is on the line, critical moments, I like to be out there and having the chance to help win a ball game."