The New York Jets clearly had a priority on Wednesday.
Because not long after they swung a trade for defensive tackle Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns, they made another deal.
This one was with the Minnesota Vikings, and it brought Harrison Phillips to the green and white.
Phillips and a 2027 seventh-round pick come to the Jets for a 2026 sixth-round pick and 2027 sixth-round pick, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
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The name Phillips probably sounds familiar to some Jets fans because he played in Buffalo.
Phillips was a third-round pick of the Bills in 2018 out of Stanford, and he grew into a well-respected fan favorite for the Jets’ AFC East rival.
The 6-foot-3, 307-pound Phillips spent four seasons in Buffalo. In 45 games with the Bills, he had 107 tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 8.0 total tackles for loss.
He spent the last three seasons with the Vikings, where his tackle totals rose considerably.
Phillips had a ridiculous 92-tackle season in 2023 with 3.0 sacks.
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All told, he had 207 tackles in just three seasons with the Vikings to go with 6.5 sacks.
Phillips is 29 years old and still has a chance to make a real impact on the interior of a defensive line.
The Jets are led in the middle by superstar Quinnen Williams, but Phillips could legitimately make the team.
Phillips is also regarded as one of the NFL’s best people. He has been nominated three times for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Now, he’ll return to the AFC East, where he’ll get the chance to play against the Bills two times each season. It’s a chance for Phillips to continue making a mark in the NFL, both on and off the field.
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