Former Dolphin Calls Trade ‘Greatest Thing That’s Ever Happened’

The Miami Dolphins didn’t sell quite as hard as many NFL fans were expecting at the trade deadline. In fact, the 2-7 third-place Fins only shipped off one asset. That asset was 2021 first-round draft pick Jaelan Phillips.

Phillips has struggled to stay healthy in his NFL career, playing in just 55 of a possible 85 games over four and a half seasons.

He did not mince words when asked about the deal that sent the Miami Dolphins’ draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a third-round pick.

“This is literally the greatest thing that’s happened to me in my whole life,” the 26-year-old said to a room of reporters. “The guys are awesome; everybody’s been super welcoming. I love the environment here; I love the vibe here.”

He then went on to explain all the ways in which Philadelphia fans have made him feel more loved than Miami fans ever did, his words not mine.

“The city of Philly has given me a very warm welcome,” he continued. “I got about 20 times the amount of Instagram likes than I’ve ever gotten on a post before, so shout out to Philly fans.”

General Manager Howie Roseman Calls Jaelan Phillips Trade a No-Brainer

A third-round pick is a great return for an edge rusher who was playing in a contract year. That makes this deal an A+ for the Dolphins, but, unsurprisingly, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman thinks the Birds came out on the right side as well.

“Just for us, where we are as a team,” Roseman said, “what we believe is important to winning a world championship and to being a great team, it really wasn’t a hard trade to make.”

Roseman said he and his staff spent a considerable amount of time scouting the former first-rounder when he was at college in Miami. The Eagles ended up going with Devonta Smith at 10th overall in that draft, and the rest is history.

“With all these guys, the process starts with college, and we spent a lot of time with [Phillips] coming out of college knowing the person,” Roseman said. “It’s really easy to scout the player. He’s got freak ability, he can rush, he can set the edge, he can play in space. He’s got a nonstop motor. I think one of the most fun things to do is put on his tape and watch his effort.”

Head Coach Mike McDaniel Reveals How Decision Was Made

A unique challenge the Dolphins faced this trade deadline was carrying out proceedings without a general manager. Former general manager Chris Grier was fired five days before the trade block closed. This meant the Dolphins’ front office was fielding trade offers without a GM.

Mike McDaniel told reporters that a decision was made via a collaborative effort from many inside the building.

“It was a collaboration of myself, Champ (Kelly) and Brandon Shore,” McDaniel said of the decision to trade Phillips. “We were all in agreement.”

According to Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post, McDaniel was excited when the deadline finally closed. The head coach is not used to having to deal with so many questions about player personnel and was excited to shift focus back to a divisional game against the Buffalo Bills.

Colin Cowherd Calls Out 49ers Front Office Amid Injury Woes

John Lynch walking on the field

It’s Week 2, but the San Francisco 49ers‘ depth on offense is being tested early with injuries to Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk.

For Purdy, Mac Jones will be taking over under center. As a result, San Francisco will have a player who has started games in the NFL, but replacing Kittle might be challenging since no one behind him can fill those shoes.

Meanwhile, at the receiver end, Ricky Pearsall looks to be someone who could fill the role of Aiyuk. Pearsall had four receptions for 108 receiving yards in the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Nonetheless, FS1 host Colin Cowherd is calling out the 49ers front office for their inability to have depth that can overcome injuries such as the ones they are experiencing to start the season.

“This is an organization, No. 1, they’re brittle and No. 2, as much as I like John Lynch, they have missed on too many top picks,” Cowherd said on the September 11 edition of “The Herd.”

“So when the injuries happen, they don’t have a reservoir of depth… San Francisco gave up two first for Trey Lance, miss. Jake Moody, third-round pick kicker, disaster. Javon Kinlaw, first-round, miss.”

49ers Slammed for Free Agent Decisions

Cowherd continued to slam the 49ers for their poor drafting, which left them thin and vulnerable when injuries strike. The FS1 host noted that San Francisco has whiffed in free agency.

“Even in free agency, they went for Javan Hargrove,” Cowherd added. “That was wasted money. So when you watch the NFC right now, there are three teams that pass the eye test, and they all have something in common. The Packers look fast, young

and athletic. The Rams defense does, and the Eagles on both sides.

“And the reason being, they’ve nailed the draft. And that’s what worried me about San Francisco. Not just that they were brittle and a little old, but that they’ve missed on so many draft picks. When you get banged up, this is what you look like. Going into New Orleans with a chance to lose to arguably the first or second worst team in the league.”

Should There Be Concerns Over Mac Jones?

Jones could be under center for a few weeks, so the 49ers hope this free agent signing works out in their favor. Ahead of Jones likely starting against the Saints, ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes shared a concerning take regarding the former New England Patriots quarterback getting the call to replace the injured Purdy.

“I question whether the situation around Mac Jones is good enough to enable this offense to keep rolling,” Kimes said on the September 11 edition of “The Rich Eisen Show.”

“The offensive line had a lot of problems. Brock Purdy was under pressure a lot, admittedly against a very good [Seattle Seahawks] defense.

“The run game looked just okay with [Christian] McCaffrey back. Of course, you don’t have Brandon Aiyuk. Ricky Pearsall looked good, but this is not Mac Jones getting into the Ferrari and

being given the keys. If this was a couple of years ago, I would feel very different about him being slotted into this.

“And of course, Kyle Shanahan’s one of the best play callers in the business, but this is not a great situation that he is stepping into. So, I’m pretty skeptical of the Niners offense with Mac Jones.”