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Zach Sieler Says Jordan Phillips Has Made Incredible Growth and the Dolphins Are Counting on It
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- Zach Sieler Says Jordan Phillips Has Made Incredible Growth and the Dolphins Are Counting on It
There has been a lot of focus on Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and edge rusher Chop Robinson this offseason.
Both former first-round picks have yet to live up to expectations.
But one Dolphins front-line player who could be headed for a breakout season is defensive tackle Jordan Phillips .
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"I think one of the first things he got in trouble for was squatting too much," Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler said about Phillips. "He's worked his tail off this offseason. To see his growth from last year to this year has been incredible.
"His confidence on the field, his knowledge — you can tell the game is starting to click for him more and more. You saw that at the end of last season with how well he played against the run and all that stuff. To keep working with him, 'KG' (Kenneth Grant), Zeek (Biggers) and all those guys has been awesome. It's been exciting."
Under Jeff Hafley, Jordan Phillips is set for a breakout season in 2026
Jul 29, 2025; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (94) looks on from the field during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
After being selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft out of Maryland, Phillips emerged as a consistent run-stopper for the Dolphins during his rookie season. The traditional nose tackle finished with 34 tackles in 17 games.
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Phillips could be headed for a much larger role in 2026 in Jeff Hafley's defensive scheme. With Sieler serving as the leader of the Dolphins' defense, Phillips' 6-foot-3, 305-pound frame will be counted on to take on double teams and stop the run. He'll also help create more one-on-one opportunities for Miami 's edge rushers.
The nose tackle in Hafley's defensive scheme is also expected to penetrate and make plays in the backfield. Phillips stayed in the Miami area throughout the offseason, training and refining his craft.
"I think it's hard to see really how much improvement he's made because of the lack of physicality in our practices," Hafley said about Phillips. "I don't think he's a player who's going to jump out as much when the pads aren't on and he's not taking on double teams and trying to stuff the run.
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"But you can see how strong he is, and you can see how violent he is in practice, whether he's on a sled or doing drill work.
"He takes care of his body. He eats right. He is in the weight room on days off, and he embraces playing the run. He embraces double teams and he embraces the dirty work, which most people in our league don't like to do. He's an unselfish player who truly loves to play this game. Again, I'm very excited to see him when we actually start playing real football."
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
