Phillips being brought back from injury slowly
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins hope that Jaelan Phillips will be healthy enough to begin the 2021 season as one of the team’s starting outside linebackers, but to get there the medical staff has convinced the organization to bring the rookie along slowly.
Phillips, a former University of Miami standout whom the Dolphins selected with the 18th pick in the 2021 NFL draft, has practiced sparingly the past two weeks because of what a source says is a mild groin injury.
Phillips participated in one of Miami’s joint practices against the Chicago Bears last week, but was held out of the other session and didn’t participate in Saturday’s 20-13 loss to the Bears.
According to Flores, Phillips will participate in this week’s joint practices against the Atlanta Falcons, which begin Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., but there was no guarantee that he’ll participate in both sessions or play in Saturday’s preseason game against the Falcons.
“We just want to take our time, not have any setbacks,” Flores said. “He’s doing everything he can possibly do to get out there. As a young guy, he needs reps, but at the same time, we want to be smart about our plan on bringing him back, or working him back in.”
Depth has become an issue at outside linebacker because of Phillips’ injury, and the right foot/leg injury that has Vince Biegel in a walking boot since last Thursday.
Biegel will likely be sidelined for a prolonged period, but the Dolphins label him as day-to-day. Whether he’ll be healthy enough to participate in Sept. 13 season opener against the New England Patriots, or will begin the season on injured reserve is unclear. Biegel, a starter in 2019, missed all of last season with an Achilles tendon tear to his left foot.
Andrew Van Ginkel, the other projected starter, is also nursing an undisclosed injury, but he’s practiced without limitations the past few days.
The injuries leave Brennan Scarlett, Shaquem Griffin and Sam Eguavoen as the only healthy outside linebackers available on the training camp roster. But the Dolphins are also working defensive end Tyshun Render as an outside linebacker, having the former Middle Tennessee State standout transition there during the second week of training camp.
It’s also possible that Benardrick McKinney, who the Dolphins acquired in a trade this offseason, could be used as an outside linebacker in a pinch, but that would be package-specific changes.
Eichenberg returns
Liam Eichenberg returned to practice, participating in Tuesday’s walk-through at an old, but new position.
Eichenberg was moved to right tackle on Tuesday, returning to the position he practiced at for all of Miami’s offseason program before being moved to left guard during the second week of training camp.
Eichenberg, who suffered a shoulder injury during last Wednesday’s joint practice with the Bears, said he’s fully recovered from the injury and that his days of being held out of practices are over.
Jesse Davis missed practice because of the birth of a child, so it’s unclear if Eichenberg will be working at left guard, or right tackle when Davis returns and Miami begins joint practices against Atlanta on Wednesday.
“I’m going to play wherever they need me to step in and help this team,” said Eichenberg.
Injury update
Cornerback Noah Igbinoghene sat out Tuesday’s walk-through session, likely because of the injury he suffered against the Bears. Also missing practice was cornerback Javaris Davis, and receiver Isaiah Ford.
Safety Brandon Jones, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury he suffered two weeks ago, worked on the side with a trainer.