8/4/23 UPDATE: Miami Dolphins Orange Jersey Award TRACKER; some big plays for the defense!

Former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips earns his first orange jersey.

• By
  
  Jacob Mendel
  
• on August 4, 2023 2:03 pm

The Miami Dolphins switched things up during Wednesday’s practice as officials lined the field for team drills. The offense struggled with presnap penalties while the defense made a handful of plays in what was generally a balanced day between the two units.

One player who stood above, according to coaches, was former first-round pick Jaelan Phillips. The third-year pass rusher earned the orange jersey for a strong practice on Thursday and looking ahead to the season, he should fit nicely into new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s system.

“I think I’m trying to keep improving, honestly,” Phillips said on Tuesday. “But one thing I’ve been working on this offseason is keying on my hands, on my technique in general, my bend, top of the rush, things like that. This game is really a game of inches and I think a lot of my pressures last year, if I had just been a little bit better with my hips, with my hands, with my feet, I could have turned those into sacks.

“So that’s something I’m steadily trying to improve on and trying to be a technician and really master the art of pass rushing.”

Friday marked Miami’s eighth practice since training camp began and the team will play its first scrimmage on Saturday before two days off.

Untitled

We will be making our best effort to track which players receive the orange jersey honor as the offseason progresses. Want to help? Hit us up on Twitter at @thephinsider, or reach out to Marek Brave directly at @MBrave13, and let us know who is rocking the jersey with pride each day! Fins up!

Read more