The Vikings Evidently Have a Trade Asset on Their Defense
The Minnesota Vikings have turned around their roster, making sure the daunting weaknesses that separated the club from real Super Bowl contenders would be gone entering a new season. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has hired countless new contributors. The new-looking trenches are particularly exciting for Skol Nation.
The Vikings Evidently Have a Trade Asset on Their Defense
For years and years, Vikings fans requested their front offices to acquire help on the offensive line. Suddenly, Ryan Kelly and Will Fries arrived, which should be massive upgrades.
Their counterparts on the defensive sides now include two-time Pro Bowlers Javon Hargrave and Jonathan Allen. Even the semblance of some interior pass rush would’ve given Brian Flores’ unit a boost, but adding not just one but two defensive linemen with that kind of potential came unexpectedly.
Perhaps even fellow defenders were surprised. One guy who will no longer be asked to rush the passer is Harrison Phillips, Minnesota’s top defensive tackle for at least two years. However, he might be on the chopping block, according to PFF’s Bradley Locker.
He assembled a list of one trade candidate for each team, and Phillips is the odd man out.
His explanation: “Minnesota overhauled its trenches as part of commendable free agency work, including on the interior defensive line with Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave. Neither is coming off a remarkable season, but it means someone like Phillips, now lower in the rotation, could be traded.”
Phillips’ snap number will likely decrease, but that’s a good thing. The Vikings asked way too much of him in the last two seasons due to a lack of other options. Wanting him to be an interior pass rusher on third down won’t get the job done and leads to him being tired on the next running down. Fewer snaps will help him preserve some energy.
“Phillips finished with sub-61.0 PFF grades as a pass rusher and a run defender last year, but he’s previously been stout against the run,” Locker continued. “From 2021 to 2023, his PFF run-defense grade sat in the 91st percentile and his run-stop rate placed in the 88th percentile. Teams could take a shot on the 29-year-old in the hopes of seeing a rebound.”
His run defense grade was average at best last year, but his play was not. Phillips was the anchor of an elite rushing defense in the NFL that had opposing running backs not named Jahmyr Gibbs in hell all year.
Minnesota had the top-ranked run defense, according to EPA/Play, and Phillips was vital for that success.
It should also be noted that Hargrave hasn’t had a decent run defense grade since 2019, and Allen was poor in that area in consecutive years, too. Phillips will still be the primary run stuffer, and the rotation of those three (one run stopper and two pass rushers), in addition to the younger players Jalen Redmond, Levi Drake Rodriguez, and Taki Taimani, might be ideal.
Phillips arrived in 2022 when the new regime said goodbye to Michael Pierce and hired the former Bills defender to play next to Dalvin Tomlinson. He has been a staple in Minnesota’s defense ever since, playing in all 51 regular season and two postseason games.
In three years, the former Stanford standout has tabulated 6.5 sacks and 207 tackles. Last September, the Vikings extended Phillips’ deal, handing him a two-year extension. He is now under contract for two more seasons, and he isn’t particularly expensive.
His snap counts might decrease, but his value for Flores won’t. Phillips is a significant puzzle piece in the locker room and on the field. The newcomers will support him and create a stronger rotation, but they won’t replace him due to a different skill set.
The chance of a Phillips trade? Close to zero.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt