According to a source cited by ESPN, veteran defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is set to join the Miami Dolphins following a season-ending Achilles injury to linebacker Jaelan Phillips.
Pierre-Paul, a South Florida native, had recently signed with the New Orleans Saints on Nov. 15 and was part of their practice squad. Expressing his return home on Monday night via Instagram, Pierre-Paul extended gratitude to the Saints organization for the opportunity.
In his post, he wrote, “I would like to thank the New Orleans Saints and the organization for giving me the opportunity to play for them. I can’t even lie; it was a hard decision to make. To all the guys in the locker room, I appreciate y’all accepting me as a teammate, and to all the coaches, I appreciate you guys for believing in me. I’M COMING HOME.”
Selected in the first round by the New York Giants in 2010, Pierre-Paul boasts an impressive career with 94.5 sacks over 14 NFL seasons. The Dolphins, coping with Phillips’ Achilles injury sustained in the recent victory against the New York Jets, expressed confidence in their depth players to step up.
Head coach Mike McDaniel highlighted the abilities of linebackers Bradley Chubb, Andrew Van Ginkel, and David Long Jr. to fill the void, acknowledging that while Phillips cannot be replaced directly, the team will leverage its depth to compensate for the production loss.
