Expectations will be high in the pass rush department for the Dolphins in 2025 if they can see their top three options on the depth chart stay healthy. Bradley Chubb missed all of last season while Jaelan Phillips suffered an ACL tear which limited to just four games. 
In both cases, the past several months has seen considerable progress made in the rehab process. Chubb and Phillips were able to take part in individual work during OTAs and minicamp, although the latter was sidelined for team drills. With plenty of time remaining until Week 1, ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques writes both veterans are expected to be back at full strength in time for the regular season.
“Obviously, I went through a lot over the last couple of years, so I felt like I needed to take a little bit of time to regather myself,” Phillips said when addressing his recovery. “It allowed me to come back with a lot more clarity and focus and just motivation. I feel like right now I’m in a really good place. Feeling great obviously physically, but also from a mental standpoint just ready to get after it.”
Chubb accepted a pay cut this offseason, and with no guaranteed salary on his deal beyond 2025 this season will be key in determining his Miami future. The two-time Pro Bowler recorded just 2.5 sacks in eight games upon arrival from Denver when he was traded 2022. During his first full Dolphins campaign, though, Chubb posted 11 sacks and a league-leading six forced fumbles. His practice window was opened late in the 2024 season, but it was decided he would not be able to reach full strength while rehabbing the ACL tear which ended his 2023 run.
Phillips finds himself as a pending free agent given Miami’s decision to pick up his fifth-year option last spring. The UCLA product is thus one of nine players set to play on the option as things stand. A long-term investment on the part of the Dolphins would be risky given Phillips’ injury history – which dates back to his college days and includes an Achilles tear from 2023 – so his performance will be interesting to monitor this year. At 26, Phillips could form a strong tandem alongside Chop Robinson for the foreseeable future if things go according to plan in his case.
Miami’s first-round pick in 2024, Robinson had a slow start to his rookie campaign but flashed his potential toward the end of the season. He is on the books for at least another three years, but who he will be joined by on the edge past 2025 will depend on how well Chubb and Phillips manage to return to the previous form. In both instances, a clean bill of health in time for September remains the expectation.