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The Miami Dolphins released defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, whose questionable work ethic often irritated Miami’s coaches, on Tuesday.
Phillips, a 2015 second-round pick, contributed five tackles and one sack in the four games he played this season.
The former Oklahoma standout started 26 games and contributed 66 tackles, 5.5 sacks and one interception during the 48 games he played in his four-year tenure with the Dolphins.
“No longer a Miami Dolphin. Good luck to my brothers on the team. I’ll miss ya’ll, but I couldn’t be happier to be out of there,” Phillips wrote on his Instagram account. “Free at last. Free at last….I’m in my bag. Don’t take it personal. Sometimes you got to put your future in your own hands and live with it.”
Phillips, who was slated to make $1,030,000 this season, can be claimed by another NFL team on Wednesday. If that happens they will inherit his contract. But if he clears waivers, Phillips can sign with any team he desires.
According to a league source, Phillips’ release is meant to send a message to the locker room following Sunday’s 38-7 loss to the New England Patriots, a game where Miami’s defensive line got pushed around by the Patriots, who rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries.
Miami’s defensive tackle play was so poor the Patriots interior linemen were consistently reaching the linebackers to produce second-level blocks. After the game, numerous Dolphins players blamed the unit’s lack of discipline for the defense’s poor showing.
Phillips’ release leaves the Dolphins extremely thin at defensive tackle because Akeem Spence, Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor are the only players left to play the interior spots. However, the Dolphins are expected to sign a veteran to replace Phillips before Wednesday’s practice.
The Dolphins must also address the interior of the offensive line because of center Daniel Kilgore’s season-ending triceps injury, which he suffered in Sunday’s loss. Miami will either add a backup guard or center, or promote Isaac Asiata up from the practice squad.
The Dolphins will also have to find a replacement for cornerback Bobby McCain, who will be sidelined for a few weeks because of a left knee injury he suffered against he Patriots. Torry McTyer, Cordrea Tankersley and Cornell Armstrong will compete this week to determine who starts opposite Xavien Howard on the boundary.
The Dolphins will likely have rookie Minkah Fitzpatrick continue to play the nickel cornerback spot and serve as the team’s starting free safety if safety Reshad Jones (shoulder) can’t play this Sunday, but have Maurice Smith or Walt Aikens come onto the field to play free safety in the nickel package.
This is the third consecutive season coach Adam Gase has altered his roster in October with the intent of getting his team’s attention.
In 2016, his first season, the Dolphins released three offensive linemen — Dallas Thomas, Jamil Douglas and Billy Turner — following a lopsided loss to Tennessee, where Miami’s offensive line struggled to protect quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
Last season, the Dolphins traded running back Jay Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles after Gase publicly complained that some of the team’s top players weren’t working hard enough. Ajayi had become a malcontent in the locker room, and was traded to Philadelphia for a 2018 fourth-round pick that Miami used to select tailback Kalen Ballage.
At this point, it is unclear if Gase is done trying to get his team’s attention following last Sunday’s blowout loss.
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