Rich Cimini
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Trying to bolster one of their weakest positions, the New York Jets acquired defensive tackles Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs in separate trades Wednesday.
The Jets traded two sixth-round picks (2026 and 2027) and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Minnesota Vikings for Phillips, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The trade is pending a physical.
The Vikings agreed to pay $3.7 million of Phillips’ $7.4 million salary for 2025, a source told Schefter. Phillips, 29, a starter for most of his career, projects as the starter alongside star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams in the Jets’ base 4-3 front.
Earlier in the day, the Jets announced they dealt a 2026 sixth-round choice to the Cleveland Browns for Briggs and a 2026 seventh-round pick. The Jets expect Briggs, who played only 133 defensive snaps last season as a rookie, to help their depth.
The Jets were motivated to make the trades, in part, due to an injury to Byron Cowart (ankle), who has been sidelined since early in camp. He was trending toward a starting role.
Cowart was among a handful of offseason additions on low-cost contracts at defensive tackle. That includes Jay Tufele, who has stood out in the preseason. Surprisingly, the Jet didn’t address the need in the draft.
Phillips was a third-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2018, and he has started 62 games in his career.
He became a full-time player after signing with the Vikings as a free agent before the 2022 campaign, starting all 51 of their regular-season games and both playoff games over that period while playing on 64.3% of their defensive snaps. Known primarily as a run stopper, he set a career high with 92 tackles in 2023.
The Vikings signed him to a contract extension in September 2024, but he grew expendable this summer after they got a look at a defensive line group that includes veteran free agent acquisitions Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Minnesota also has developed five promising young defensive tackles: Jalen Redmond, Taki Taimani, Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, Levi Drake Rodriguez and Elijah Williams.
Earlier Wednesday, before the trades for Phillips and Briggs, Jets defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said he was pleased with the level of competition for the job alongside Williams.
“I think it’s going great, and I love the fact that Jay Tufele has stepped up,” said Wilks, who also mentioned Leonard Taylor III and Phidarian Mathis.
“I thought those guys are doing a great job,” Wilks added. “We’re looking for that balance that will be opposite of Q [Williams], some guys that are going to be able to demand double-teams, as well, so we can take some pressure off him.”
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert contributed to this report.
