When And How Much Could JPP Help Defense?

WHAT COULD PIERRE-PAUL BRING TO THE DOLPHINS DEFENSE?

Pierre-Paul joined the Dolphins after playing one game with the Saints after they elevated him from their practice squad and he got 17 snaps in a loss against the Atlanta Falcons.

JPP was out of the NFL all season after playing in 2022 with the Baltimore Ravens, for whom he played 14 games with 13 starts and recorded three sacks.

After 13 NFL seasons, two Super Bowl titles, three Pro Bowl appearances and 94.5 sacks, JPP easily could have been content with calling it a career after he became a free agent this offseason.

But that's not the way he wanted to go out.

“I guess people want to see if we’ll still do it or not," JPP said. "There’s only way to find out. So I joined late with the Saints practice squad. I appreciate them for giving me a tryout and workout. I played the first game, and I think I did pretty well with the snaps that I got. Then Miami signed me the next day.”

Word out of Baltimore is that JPP definitely showed last season he had plenty left in the tank, though he's best used at this point as a situational player.

That's just fine and dandy for the Dolphins' needs.

The need for depth at outside linebacker obviously arose in light of Jaelan Phillips' season-ending Achilles injury, and JPP figures to share snaps with Andrew Van Ginkel and Emmanuel Ogbah, with AVG clearly the favorite to get the most work.

The question now becomes how quickly JPP can contribute to the Dolphins defense. He obviously said he wouldn't rule out playing against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, though that obviously will depend on the coaches and his week of practice.

JPP'S FIRST IMPRESSION OF McDANIEL

JPP himself said it could be a couple of weeks before he's back to football shape.

“I feel good," Pierre-Paul said. "Obviously, I’m coming back from home really. I did one week with the Saints. It still feels like training camp to me right now, but once I get past that, it takes a week or two, then I’m back rolling.”

Realistic expectations for JPP aren't for him to do what he did with the Giants near the start of his career or in his Pro Bowl season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.

He absolutely could be helpful in helping, to some extent, mitigate the loss of Phillips and hopefully help lead to a deep playoff run.

Pierre-Paul made his name as a 4-3 defensive end but he's also got plenty of experience as a 3-4 outside linebacker, the role the Dolphins will have him play.

“When it’s all said and done, it’s all the same thing," he said. "It’s all football. I know how to play football. When it’s all said and done, just be physical. But the defensive terminology, it’s all the same thing. You just got a pattern them and put them in certain spaces that you can remember it. I’m doing a great job right now. My coach is giving me the calls and he’s filling me in. The players in my room are filling me in too, so shout-out to those guys."

Asked for his first impression of Coach Mike McDaniel, JPP laughed.

"He’s a cool dude, man," Pierre-Paul said. "He’s himself. I like that. Guys are telling me that’s him. You can’t expect nothing of him, but he’s himself every day. I think that’s important for a head coach to be himself, and I think that’s what he’s doing. He came in the meeting room early, and I didn’t know who was talking until I looked down. He was right there, because I’m sitting in the front row.

"Obviously, I talked to him. He knows my history. We’re going to get it cracking. I told him I’m happy to be here and they gave me a good opportunity to come home and try to win a Super Bowl, which I know these guys can. We’re just going to get it cracking and put all the pieces together.”