Dallas is adding depth to its interior defensive line ahead of the season
A rare intradivision trade has occurred between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. New York is sending reserve defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, along with a seventh-round pick in 2026, to Dallas in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick, according to NFL insider Josina Anderson.
Phillips, who is entering his 10th NFL season, was a second-round draft pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2015. The Kansas native was in his first training camp with the Giants after spending the previous two years with the Buffalo Bills. At 6-foot-6-inches and 330 pounds, Phillips is regarded as a space eater. Over the course of his career, he has amassed 24 sacks, including a career-high 9.5 sacks in 2019 during his first stint with Buffalo. Phillips is responsible for 35 tackles, four sacks and seven pass deflections over his two most recent seasons.
A solution at defensive tackle has evaded Dallas for years despite sinking significant draft capital into the unit, including a 2021 third-round pick on Osa Odighizuwa, a 2023 first-round pick on Mazi Smith and, most recently, a seventh-round pick on Justin Rogers. Dallas allowed 1.59 rushing yards before contact last season, according to TruMedia, which was the 10-worst mark in the league.
New York, comparatively, has veterans Rakeem Nunez-Roches and Dexter Lawrence spearheading its front to go along with youngsters Ryder Anderson, Jordon Riley, Elijah Chatman, Casey Rogers, D.J. Davidson and Timmy Horne.
There have now been four trades across the NFL in the month of August, including Dallas swapping cornerback Nahshon Wright for Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr., as teams look to fill out their rosters ahead of the 2024 campaign. Teams must prune their rosters down to the 53-man active limit by 4 p.m. ET on Aug. 27.