The Jets continued to bolster their interior defensive line Thursday, acquiring DT Harrison Phillips from the Vikings. The team also acquired a 2027 seventh-round draft pick from the Vikings in exchange for sixth-round picks in 2026 and '27.
The Green & White also placed DL Rashad Weaver on injured reserve, released DT Phidarian Mathis and waived/injured CB Bump Cooper.
Phillips (6-3, 307) started 17 games for Minnesota last season, tallying 56 tackles, 2 sacks, a career-high 4 pass defenses and 1 fumble. The 2024 team captain started the 'Vikes wild card game against the Cardinals and registered 3 tackles.
Making 17 starts in 2023, Phillips, 29, set career highs with 92 tackles and 3 sacks. Last September, Harrison, who started all 51 regular season contests with Minnesota from 2022-24, signed a three-year extension with the Vikings.
Phillips, a third-round pick (No. 96 overall) of the Buffalo Bills in the 2018 NFL Draft, played a depth role in Buffalo his first three pro seasons while appearing in 31 contests and making 56 tackles. Jets DL coach Eric Washington was Phillips' position coach in the 2020-21 campaigns. He started 8 games with the Bills in 2021 and collected 51 tackles and 4 TFL. After starting a pair of playoff games and totaling 7 tackles, Phillips initially signed with Minnesota on March 16, 2022.
The double major (sociology and science; technology and society) at Stanford, Phillips has appeared in 92 games (62 starts) over 7 NFL seasons and his career totals include 314 tackles, 8 sacks, 30 QB hits and 10 PDs and 4 FR. In 7 playoff games, Phillips has 20 tackles over 243 defensive snaps.
On Tuesday, the Jets also went the trade route to add former Browns DT Jowon Briggs.
Weaver (6-4, 259) signed with the Green & White during free agency in March. A 2021 fourth-round draft pick, Weaver, a Pittsburgh product, played 33 games with the Tennessee Titans from 2021-23 and had 5.5 sacks and 49 tackles before signing with the Houston Texans' practice squad last September. He was elevated to the active roster on Sept. 11 and appeared in three games for Houston before he was released on Oct. 22. Weaver finished the 2024 season on the Rams' practice squad.
The Jets claimed Mathis (6-4, 312) last December after he was waived by the Commanders. The 2022 second-round draft pick out of Alabama played 23 games for Washington and registered 25 tackles, 2 TFL and 1 fumble recovery over 3 seasons. Mathis appeared in preseason games vs. the Packers and Giants for the Green & White this summer.
Cooper (5-11, 192) was claimed by the Jets off waivers in July after signing with the Dolphins in May. He was initially a Miami waiver claim in February. The Oregon State product spent time with Baltimore's practice squad and Seattle's practice squad during the 2024 season.
