Needham, Phillips and Other Former Dolphins Updates

Former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips reportedly is headed back to the former AFC East rivals

Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips (97) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium last season. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

We hope this doesn't get too confusing, but it looks like there will be two Jordan Phillipses in the AFC East at the start of the 2025 regular season.

The Miami Dolphins already have 2025 fifth-round pick Jordan Phillips, who's basically a lock to make the 53-man roster as a rookie.

And now the first Jordan Phillips to play for the Dolphins, the 2015 second-round pick out of Oklahoma and like the 2025 rookie is a defensive tackle, reportedly will be re-signing with the Buffalo Bills this week.

The Bills will be needing help along the defensive line at least at the start of the regular season because two veteran offseason acquisition — Michael Hoecht and Larry Ogunjobi — will be serving NFL suspensions at the start.

The older Phillips now will be playing in a 10th NFL season, which should be seen as an achievement given the fact the Dolphins gave up on him and released him midway through his fourth year in 2018.

The news with Phillips was among the many nuggets with former Dolphins players Sunday, but it was the only positive one for the players involved.

NEEDHAM CUT BY CLEVELAND

The most notable transaction involving a Dolphins player Sunday involved defensive back Nik Needham, who was released by the Cleveland Browns.

Needham was trying to gain a spot on their roster after the Dolphins declined to sign him to a future contract in January after he finished the 2024 season on the team's practice squad.

Because of Needham's inspiring journey, from undrafted rookie to part-time starter for the Dolphins, and because of the lack of proven commodities in the current Miami secondary, the idea of bringing him has been championed by fans on social media.

The reality is that would seem a long shot given the Dolphins had him last year and chose not to bring him back.

HUNTLEY AND DuBOSE

The Browns also released quarterback Tyler Huntley, who started five games for the Dolphins last year, in a move that should have been expected the second he signed with the team.

Cleveland signed Huntley because of injuries at the position, but none of those injuries were serious and Huntley never had a realistic chance to get a roster spot given the presence of veteran Joe Flacco and rookie draft picks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, not to mention offseason trade acquisition Kenny Pickett.

Lastly, wide receiver Grant DuBose's attempt to make the Buffalo Bills roster was short-lived as he was waived-injured after going down in his first practice with his new team.

DuBose's one season with the Dolphins, who he joined after he was claimed off waivers from Green Bay, ended when he sustained a scary concussion in the team's December loss at Houston.