Dolphins’ LB Jaelan Phillips held out of practice after being stepped on during the second play of training camp

Jaelan Phillips didn’t practice with the Miami Dolphins on Friday due to an injury, coach Mike McDaniel told the media. The third-year pass rusher was stepped on early in the first practice and the team didn’t want to take any chances.

“Jaelan, on the second play of training camp, got stepped on. He has an injury that we’re not worried about but would not be healed if he continued to practice,” McDaniel said. “We’re just being smart with it.”

Phillips ranked fourth in the NFL with 19 quarterback hits and seventh with 48 quarterback hurries last season. The former Miami Hurricanes’ edge rusher has 15.5 sacks through two seasons and should benefit from the additions of linebacker Bradley Chubb, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, and All-Pro defensive back Jalen Ramsey — when he recovers from his injury.

McDaniel also shared an update on safety Brandon Jones and cornerback Trill Williams, two players coming off season-ending injuries in 2022.

“Brandon Jones and Trill, one of the things that I can say with some absolute certainty on this team, in the locker room, you have about as hungry, thirsty and passionate guys that I’ve been around,” McDaniel said. “Particularly those two, coming off injury, one of our responsibilities is to protect them from themselves. The one thing I can say in terms of how everything is individualized with literally everything we do, is all the players that haven’t been fully participating throughout the entirety of practice for their individual regiment purposes, none of them have had any setbacks.”

The Dolphins return to the practice field on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.