Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 21: Powerful D-Lineman Should Be Key for Run Defense
The Miami Dolphins will head into training camp at the end of July with a totally different roster than the one that ended the 2025 season after an offseason overhaul that saw the departure of several significant veterans and the arrival of newcomers young and old.
After their roster moves Monday, followed by the signing of former UFL tackle Gottlieb Ayedze on Wednesday, the Dolphins have 91 players on their roster with the exemption they have for England-born rookie tight end Seydou Traore, a participant of the International Player Pathway Program.
As life goes in the NFL, no every player on the roster is equal, so we decided to rank all of them in terms of their importance to the Dolphins' success in the 2026 season. The list was determined on the basis of not just ability but also expected role and significance to the overall progress of the organization as it continues the rebuilding project that began with the hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as GM and Jeff Hafley as head coach.
This is part of a series that will run in the lead-up to start of training camp.
NUMBER 21: DT JORDAN PHILLIPS
How he joined the Dolphins
The Dolphins selected Phillips in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft with the 143rd overall pick, the fifth in the round. That pick was obtained from the Las Vegas Raiders along with the 37th overall pick for the 48th pick and selections in the third and fourth rounds.
Contract status
Phillips will be entering the second year of his four-year, $4.7 million rookie contract. He's scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in 2029.
His 2025 season
Phillips appeared in every game and made 16 starts. He finished with 34 tackles, including one for loss. Pro Football Focus gave him a 2025 grade of 55.4, ranking him 76th out of 127 interior defensive linemen.
His projected role
The Dolphins are expected, per head coach Jeff Hafley himself, to use a four-down lineman alignment as its base in 2026, though they also will feature three-man fronts with the ability to slide from one to the other even with the same personnel. Phillips' value is as a pure nose, and he'll still play a significant role for the defense, though he once again figures to play fewer snaps than fellow defensive linemen Zach Sieler and Kenneth Grant - Grant averaged five more snaps per game than Phillips last season even though he started only five times.
THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS ON THE COUNTDOWN
90. G James Ester
89. T Kevin Cline
88. QB Mark Gronowski
87. DT Keith Cooper Jr.
86. EDGE Seth Coleman
85. RB Anthony Hankerson
84. WR Donaven McCulley
83. FB D.J. Herman
82. C Jim Bonitas
81. LS Tucker Addington
80. DT Alex Huntley
79. T Marques Cox
78. EDGE Rodney McGraw
77. TE Cole Turner
76. DT Khalil Saunders
75. CB Miles Battle
74. S Major Burns
73. RB Carlos Washington Jr.
72. EDGE Robert Beal Jr.
71. WR A.J. Henning
70. RB Donovan Edwards
69. DB Omar Brown
68. EDGE Cameron Goode
67. WR Jalen Reagor
66. EDGE Max Llewellyn
65. WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
64. CB Ethan Robinson
63. G/T Josh Priebe
62. DT Rene Konga
61. WR Tahj Washington
60. QB Cam Miller
59. CB A.J. Green III
58. EDGE Mason Reiger
57. CB Alex Austin
56. P Bradley Pinion
55. LB Jackson Woodard
54. K Zane Gonzalez
53. S Louis Moore
52. DT Matthew Butler
51. CB Marco Wilson
50. CB Darrell Baker Jr.
49. LB Ronnie Harrison Jr.
48. T Charlie Heck
47. WR Chris Bell
46. CB Storm Duck
45. WR Theo Wease Jr.
44. TE Seydou Traore
43. G DJ Campbell
42. G/C Andrew Meyer
41. K Riley Patterson
40. S Michael Taaffe
39. CB Ethan Bonner
38. TE Ben Sims
37. EDGE David Ojabo
36. S Lonnie Johnson Jr.
35. Zayne Anderson
34. EDGE Josh Uche
33. WR Jalen Tolbert
32. EDGE/LB Trey Moore
31. LB Willie Gay Jr.
30. RB Jaylen Wright
29. WR Kevin Coleman Jr.
28. G Jonah Savaiinaea
27. DT Zeek Biggers
26. LB Kyle Louis
25. RB Ollie Gordon II
24. WR Tutu Atwell
23. G/T Jamaree Salyer
22. WR Malik Washington
Today's best reads
- Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 25: Where Gordon Could Make a Difference
- Ranking the Most Important Dolphins Players 31-35: What Kind of Impact Can Newcomers Uche, Anderson, Tolbert Make?
- Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 23: Veteran O-Lineman Could Fill Many Roles
- Ranking the Most Important Dolphins Players 46-50: How Likely Are Bell, Duck to Make an Impact Back from Injury?
- Ranking the Most Important Dolphins, No. 24: Veteran Looks for Happy Homecoming
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This story was originally published July 5, 2026 at 10:30 AM.