The New York Jets moved again to fortify their interior defensive line on Wednesday, agreeing to a trade that brings veteran defensive tackle Harrison Phillips to New York. In the deal, the Jets will receive Phillips and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick. The trade was first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and is expected to be finalized in the next few days.
The move comes on the heels of the Jets’ earlier acquisition of a second-year DT, Jowon Briggs, from the Cleveland Browns, signaling that New York is continuing to reshape its front seven ahead of cutdown day.
Phillips, 29, is entering his eighth NFL season after being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 2018 draft. Last season, he appeared in all 17 games, starting every game, and totaled 56 tackles (two for loss), two sacks, five quarterback hits, four pass deflections, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus credited him with a 54.0 run-defense grade, underscoring his strength as a run stopper.
In Jets terms, Phillips provides a durable, veteran presence up front—durability and starting experience that New York has prioritized. Across seven seasons with the Bills and Vikings, he has started 62 games. He’s generally been valued more for stopping the run than for generating pressure as a pass rusher.
From a financial perspective, Phillips carries a modest cap hit for this season, with the Jets reportedly paying only half of his salary, amounting to about $3.7 million against New York’s cap. That makes the deal appealing for a team looking to add run-stopping depth without a heavy financial commitment.
The trade, and the broader trailer of moves around the Jets’ defensive line, suggests New York is aiming for a reliable rotation up front that can pair with starting experience and push the team deeper into the season with more versatile options. Phillips’ addition gives the Jets a proven run-stopper who can contribute immediately while not costing the team a premium asset.
Outlook: If Phillips can mirror last season’s durability and bring steady run defense to the interior, he should help offset wear on the Jets’ front with multi-look alignments and rotate through several interior linemen. Paired with recent additions, the Jets appear to be building a sturdier, more dependable run defense as they finalize their depth chart ahead of roster reductions.
Additional notes and context:
– The trade allocation reflects a strategy of adding veteran grit and starting experience while using draft capital in the later rounds.
– Phillips’ veteran presence could also provide valuable leadership to younger interior players as the Jets continue to refine their defensive identity this season.
If you’d like, I can also provide a concise player profile box for Phillips or draft a short “what this means for the Jets’ depth chart” section to slot into the article.