In a significant setback for the Miami Dolphins, outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn Achilles, as confirmed by head coach Mike McDaniel on Saturday. The injury occurred without contact during in the fourth quarter of Friday's game against the New York Jets, forcing Phillips to leave the field and be carted off to the locker room.

Addressing the situation, McDaniel acknowledged the impact of Phillips' absence and what the road ahead will look like for the Dolphins.

“You don't necessarily replace Jaelan Phillips,” McDaniel said, per ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques. “But you can have guys that are fully capable to step up and kind of get his production through different ways. We are fortunate enough to have some depth.”

The Dolphins' defensive strategy will likely see increased roles for linebacker Andrew van Ginkel, who has demonstrated his ability with four sacks this season. Additionally, defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah, who secured 18 sacks in the 2020 and 2021 seasons and signed a $65 million contract in the 2022 offseason, is expected to play a crucial role filling the void left by Phillips' injury.

McDaniel emphasized the team's approach to compensating for such a major loss defensively.

“You don't necessarily replace him, but it just gives different people opportunities, and you kind of spread that out to do your best to compensate for that production loss.”

The Dolphins, currently riding a wave of success with a 34-13 victory over the Jets, will now face the challenge of maintaining their defensive prowess without Phillips. As the team adjusts its strategy, fans eagerly await how the reshuffled lineup will fare in the remainder of what has been one of Miami's most impressive seasons in recent memory.