Pair of key Dolphins OLBs nearing full strength

The Dolphins reworked Chubb’s extension this offseason, a move that amounted to a pay cut for a player once acquired in a blockbuster trade, and have Phillips in a contract year. While 2024 first-rounder Chop Robinson is in place, the Dolphins will need their veteran duo to return. In some rare good news involving the team’s OLB corps, both are on the homestretch of their respective recovery efforts.

Mike McDaniel said (via Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero) Wednesday have been able to participate in “most things most days.” Considering where both starters were last year, each being nearly recovered before minicamp represents significant progress. Chubb has not played since suffering an ACL tear — the second of his NFL career — in Week 17 of the 2023 season; Phillips followed up a November 2023 Achilles tear with an October 2024 ACL tear.

These injuries have prevented the Dolphins from being able to bank on a long-term future featuring these two. Phillips is in a contract year — on a fifth-year option Miami exercised in the time between his Achilles and ACL tears — while Chubb saw his $19.45MM 2025 base salary slashed; no guaranteed money remains on the former top-five pick’s deal following 2025. The Dolphins have Robinson signed through 2027, and they will need to see some positive returns from their more experienced OLBs in order to justify 2026 employment.

Phillips’ recovery from his second major injury as a pro involved harvesting his patellar tendon, according to The Athletic’s Dan Pompei, who details the injuries and past surgeries — while Phillips was at UCLA — that had doctors advising him to retire. Phillips sustained a major wrist injury in a moped accident, leading to multiple operations — including one removing three bones. Phillips also endured multiple concussions before transferring to Miami. This coming season will be pivotal for the 2021 first-round pick, who was enjoying a breakthrough year (6.5 sacks in eight games) in 2023 before suffering the Achilles tear in the Dolphins’ Black Friday game.

Acquired in a trade headlined by a first-round pick going to the Broncos, Chubb signed a five-year, $110MM extension days later. He remains on a through-2027 contract, but having spent all of last year on the reserve/PUP list has brought a derailment. The Dolphins had expected Chubb (29 in June) to return late last season and designated him to practice, but no activation commenced as Miami’s playoff hopes waned.

Chubb already missed most of the 2019 season with an ACL tear, and a two-ankle-surgery 2021 limited him to seven games (and no sacks) that year. Moving back on track in 2022 prompted the Dolphins to pay the high trade price, and while Chubb reached 11 sacks in 2023, the Dolphins entered the playoffs decimated on the edge and did not see their situation improve last year.

In addition to missing Chubb for the full season and Phillips for 13 games, the Dolphins signed Shaq Barrett and then saw him retire before suiting up. Barrett ended the season back with the Buccaneers. Despite this run of misfortune at outside linebacker, the Dolphins focused on other areas in the draft and free agency. They will count on Chubb and Phillips’ returns. Having both back alongside Robinson should raise the ceiling for Anthony Weaver‘s defense, but each’s injury past has certainly become a concern as the DC readies for his second season in charge.