Is playing Phillips at LB a huge mistake?

[KingHydra]

Phillips suffered no concussions playing Edge exclusively for The Hurricanes and he dominated.
Why risk playing him again at Linebacker/Edge like his UCLA days?

 

[lbmclean_nocal]

I don’t think they will. Hopefully he plays LDE on passing downs for his rookie year

 

[Dan13Forever]

When it comes to defense, in Flo we trust.

 

[Digital]

I'm not sure that the reason he left UCLA really had anything to do with concussions, nor anything to do with music. He just didn't get along with the coaching staff, but if he says that he gets labelled as toxic. He showed at The U that he is not toxic.

Find me an NFL player who has not had 2 concussions

 

[Feverdream]

No... because this is mostly a labeling thing.

Phillips is here to rush the passer. Whether he does this as a stand up end, or a hand down end... he's still doing the same job.

In the Miami scheme... the interior two are generally tackles, and there are two edges which can alternate where they line up... up or down. Call it and end or call it a linebacker... it's the same position.

 

[foozool13]

Wayyyyyy to early to make any kind of real assessment on his position.

 

[KingHydra]

I'm not sure that the reason he left UCLA really had anything to do with concussions, nor anything to do with music. He just didn't get along with the coaching staff, but if he says that he gets labelled as toxic. He showed at The U that he is not toxic.

Find me an NFL player who has not had 2 concussions

From Phillips himself: he retired from UCLA because one more concussion and he would be forced to retire. So, Phillips left UCLA and switched to the Hurricanes. His story is pretty interesting and not what I thought at all before hearing the truth.
I didnt know he played Linebacker at UCLA. That little tidbit answered one question that was nagging me "How do you get so many concussions playing Edge"?

 

[KingHydra]

I'm concerned for Jaelen's future cognitive health if he is that unstable that such a minor change could have a dramatic impact.

IF your question is valid, I don't believe he belongs on a football field.

Linebacker is a brutal position. You are constantly hitting targets head on. Its nothing like playing Edge, at all.

Using your own logic; if Tom Brady can't make it as a Running Back he shouldn't play football? Just seeking clarification?

Also of note: Phillips is officially listed on the roster as "Linebacker" and he is also practicing as Linebacker. Watch his Rookie camp video.

 

[gregorygrant83]

Go back and look at the Dolphins 2020 games... does Shaq Lawson really look like a linebacker or edge/de? Phillips will plug into Lawsons role. In Miami's 3-4 Lawson was labled a linebacker, but in 4-3 sets he's a pure de and in the 3-4 looks he's a linebacker, but really edge setter and outside rusher. You're not going to see him in coverage a ton. When you look at the 2020 tape from early in the season,imagine Phillips in Lawson's role, Van Ginkle in Van Noy's role, McKinney and Baker at the other linebacker spots and Holland in McCain's job. That's what I expect Miami's defense to look like in 2021.

 

[ANUFan]

Wait...lol! Some of you really think he’s going to play LB primarily? That’s rich!

 

[TheRevoltingBlob]

Linebacker is a brutal position. You are constantly hitting targets head on. Its nothing like playing Edge, at all.

I actually just deleted my post after you responded. I get what you're saying. But you also have to take into account that simply calling a player a 3-4 OLB does not determine their role in our system.

Van Ginkel and Lawson were listed as 3-4 OLBs last year, but they were used essentially as pure EDGE players. Van Ginkle only had 10 snaps where he was not on the line and Lawson had 12.

Phillips is going to be a pass rusher/edge setter and he'll be a DE in 4 man fronts. He won't be getting shifted into the box regularly like Van Noy did.

 

[Goonies]

I love Phillips, if used correctly, the kid will be an all pro no question about it. Hopefully the dolphins and himself are taking the right measures to ensure a healthy career.

 

[brumdog44]

I'm not sure that the reason he left UCLA really had anything to do with concussions, nor anything to do with music. He just didn't get along with the coaching staff, but if he says that he gets labelled as toxic. He showed at The U that he is not toxic.

Find me an NFL player who has not had 2 concussions

I teach and I work with a school administrator who was a center in the NFL for four years in the early 2000s and he'll tell you that he has no idea how many concussions he had -- but that as a center, more often in college he would get a concussion and that every game at some point he would have a moment where he black out due the contact that centers receive as part of the position.

 

[gregorygrant83]

This video has some clips of how Shaq Lawson was used in Miami's defense. It's pretty easy to imagine Phillips sliding into that role.

 

[TheLaughingGod]

I wouldn't worry about Phillips. He's going to get his bell rung once and decide, yet again, that football isn't for him. He'll quit on this team like he quit once before. Wasted pick.