Jets finally land starting DT in stunning second trade of the day

The New York Jets clearly must not have liked what they saw from their defensive tackle tape in Saturday's preseason loss to the New York Giants because they just made their second acquisition of the day.

The Jets are sending a 2026 sixth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for starting defensive tackle Harrison Phillips and a 2027 seventh-round pick.

Phillips has started all 51 possible games for the Vikings over the last three seasons and previously spent the first four years of his career in Buffalo. A former third-round pick, Phillips should be expected to immediately step in as the Jets' top defensive tackle alongside Quinnen Williams.

This marks the second trade for a defensive tackle the Jets made on Wednesday after the team acquired 2024 seventh-round pick Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns in a similar swap of Day 3 picks a few hours earlier.

Harrison Phillips trade gives the Jets a legitimate starting DT

But while the Briggs trade was a worthy high-upside flier for a team desperate for defensive tackle help, the Phillips acquisition gives the team a legitimate starter who will see meaningful reps on defense this year.

At 6-foot-3, 307 pounds, Phillips has carved out a solid NFL career as a starting 1-tech run-stuffer who has helped anchor two different defensive lines. He's racked up 60 run stops over the last two seasons and missed just 5.3% of his tackle attempts in 2024.

The Vikings signed Phillips to a two-year, $15 million extension last September, keeping him under contract through 2026. As part of the trade, Minnesota has agreed to pay $3.7 million of Harrison Phillips’ $7.4 million salary this season.

That means the Jets just acquired a rock-solid starting defensive tackle and will only have to pay him $3.7 million in 2025. That's quite the bargain for a player who fills a major position of need.

The Jets added a trio of defensive tackles in free agency this offseason in Derrick Nnadi, Byron Cowart, and Jay Tufele. Cowart seemed like the favorite to start, but he's missed much of the summer with an ankle injury and could land on the short-term IR to start the year.

Tufele flashed in the team's first preseason game but is firmly on the roster bubble. As for Nnadi, the longtime Chiefs starter was already fighting an uphill battle after an underwhelming summer — these trades essentially confirm he won't make the 53-man roster.

The Jets desperately needed reinforcements in their defensive tackle room, and Phillips represents more than just a veteran flier. He's a proven starting commodity who remained a key starter in one of the league's better defensive lines.

Minnesota opts to go younger and cheaper at the position while the Jets land a much-needed starting option. The Jets just reshaped their defensive tackle room in a matter of hours.

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