2023 Dolphins Training Camp Preview: Edge Defenders
The Miami Dolphins approached the offseason like a team contending for the Super Bowl. They made a big splash by trading for cornerback Jalen Ramsay and bringing in highly touted defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
The Dolphins are looking to build off last year’s success, which saw them finish 9-8 and make the playoffs for the first time since 2016. However, the team lost to the Buffalo Bills in the wild-card round, extending Miami’s playoff winless streak to 22 seasons.
To prepare fans for a highly anticipated season, we’ve decided to break down each positional group on the roster by giving an outlook for each player, awarding superlatives, and analyzing key questions.
DOLPHINS EDGE DEFENDER OUTLOOKS
Bradley Chubb
2022 Stats: 39 total tackles, 8 sacks, 5 tackles for loss, 32 quarterback pressures
2023 Outlook: Chubb came to the Dolphins after a mid-season trade with the Denver Broncos. Although Chubb’s overall numbers were solid, he underproduced in his eight games with the Dolphins.
Chubb will have to become a dynamic, consistent pass-rush threat to justify the contract and draft capital the team invested in him last season. One thing working in his favor is the opportunity to reunite with Vic Fangio, who was Chubb’s head coach in Denver from 2019-21.
Jaelan Phillips
2022 Stats: 61 total tackles, 7 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, 36 quarterback pressures
2023 Outlook: Phillips caught some slack from boxscore scouts last season after recording only seven sacks and 36 quarterback pressures. On film, Phillips was consistently disruptive against the pass, showing the speed and power that got him selected in the first round two years ago.
If Phillips can turn just a few of his “almost sacks” into actual sacks, there will be little room to poke holes in his game.
Emmanuel Ogbah
2022 Stats: 11 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 9 quarterback pressures
2023 Outlook: Ogbah is looking to bounce back from a lackluster season cut short when he went on injured reserve in November.
He ended up playing in just nine games, making three starts — his fewest since 2019 with the Kansas City Chiefs. Ogbah signed a four-year, $65.4 million extension with the team last offseason, but the guaranteed money in the contract ends after this season so he'll have to perform to solidify his roster spot moving forward.
But if Ogbah can get back to the player he was pre-injury (nine sacks in 2020 and 2021), the Dolphins will have made a nice investment.
Andrew Van Ginkel
2022 Stats: 47 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, 8 quarterback pressures
2023 Outlook: Van Ginkel saw his role decrease last season, as he logged just 333 snaps and five starts compared to 801 snaps and 14 starts in 2022.
Van Ginkel has special teams versatility and is a solid backup for Chubb and Phillips as an outside linebacker. That should secure his spot on the team, but barring an injury, he’ll likely hover around the 350-snap mark again this season.
Malik Reed
2022 Stats (Steelers): 25 total tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for loss, 5 quarterback pressures
2023 Outlook: Reed comes over from the Steelers after starting only two games last season. His numbers last year weren’t impressive, but Reed had the two best seasons of his career under Fangio in Denver.
Reed finished with eight sacks in 2021 and five in 2020. If he can provide that level of pass-rush production as a backup, it would be a huge boon to the Dolphins’ depth.
Cameron Goode
2022 Stats: Did not play last season
2023 Outlook: Goode didn’t play last season after the Dolphins selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft. He’ll likely have to make his mark on special teams to make the roster.
Mitchell Agunde
2022 Stats (college): 39 total tackles, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2023 Outlook: Agunde is a local UDFA product from the University of Miami. With four contributors at the top of the depth chart (Chubb, Phillips, Reed, Van Ginkel), Agunde likely will compete with Goode for a roster spot and special teams reps.
Zeke Vandenburgh
2022 Stats (college): 100 total tackles, 14 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 INT
2023 Outlook: Vandenburgh’s numbers certainly jump off the page, especially considering he had just seven tackles and one sack as a junior in 2021. Still, he’ll have an uphill battle to make the roster.
He falls into the same group as Goode and Agunde.
DOLPHINS EDGE DEFENDERS SUPERLATIVES
Best Run Defender: Emmanuel Ogbah
Best Pass Rusher: Bradley Chubb
Most Strength: Emmanuel Ogbah
Most Natural Talent: Jaelan Phillips
Most Upside: Jaelan Phillips
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FOR DOLPHINS EDGE DEFENDERS
Can Bradley Chubb Step Up?
The Dolphins made arguably the league’s biggest splash at last year’s trade deadline by acquiring Chubb from the Broncos. Miami traded a 2023 first-round pick, a fourth-round pick in 2024 and running back Chase Edmonds for Chubb.
Plus, the team signed him to a five-year, $110 million contract extension right away. With that money and draft capital investment, the Dolphins need Chubb to be an elite player this season.
Last season, Chubb was solid but not elite. Chubb finished inside the NFL’s top 10 in pass rush win rate last season, which is a better indicator of down-to-down performance than a stat like sacks.
Still, elite players are paid to rack up numbers, and Chubb’s 2.5 sacks in eight games with the Dolphins won’t cut it this coming season. Chubb mentioned he struggled to learn Miami’s scheme after the trade last year.
That shouldn’t be much of an issue in 2023 since he worked with Fangio when he was the Broncos' head coach. Additionally, Fangio’s scheme puts a greater emphasis on the pass rush as opposed to former defensive coordinator Josh Boyer’s scheme, which emphasized run defense.
Not only is Chubb more familiar with Fangio’s scheme, it’s also one that will utilize his best strengths more often. The last ingredient for Chubb to have an elite season is health.
Last season was the first time he played in at least 16 games since his rookie season in 2018. It’s obvious, but staying mostly healthy for a second straight season would be a huge achievement for Chubb, given his history.
If the Dolphins want to contend for a Super Bowl, they’ll need Chubb to be not just great but elite.
