The Cowboys are acquiring a division-rival defender, per NFL Insider Josina Anderson. Amidst injury troubles along the defensive line, Dallas has made the move to acquire Giants veteran defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tells us that Phillips’ departure will be accompanied by a pick swap, with New York sending a seventh- along with Phillips in exchange for a sixth-rounder in 2026. 
A former second-round pick out of Oklahoma, Phillips has spent most of his career in the AFC East. Drafted by the Dolphins, Phillips made 26 starts in his first three years with the team before seeing his playing time start to dwindle in Year 4. An outburst of dissatisfaction eventually led to Phillips’ getting waived by Miami.
Buffalo quickly picked up their division-rival’s scraps, claiming Phillips off of waivers. He played mostly as a rotation player with the Bills as he finished out his fourth season. In 2019, Phillips rewarded Buffalo for their faith in him, accompanying his nine starts that year with 9.5 sacks, 13 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits — all career-highs by a wide margin.
Phillips leveraged a career year into a three-year contract with the Cardinals. He was a full-time starter during his time in Arizona, but injuries limited him to only 18 games over two years. His limited playing time would lead the Cardinals to release him, allowing the Bills to pick him up once again. Phillips was eased back into a rotation as he continued to play through injuries in Buffalo, starting only one game in 2022. He made nine starts last season but continued to play on a rotational snap count throughout the year.
After briefly considering retirement, Phillips signed with the Giants this offseason. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan tells us that New York has really liked what they’ve seen so far from some young defensive linemen like Elijah Chatman and D.J. Davidson, while Phillips had yet to make much of an impact this summer. Pat Leonard of the NY Daily News echoed this sentiment, claiming that it wasn’t very likely that Phillips was going to make their roster, so a pick swap was a nice consolation prize for a veteran free agent signing that didn’t pan out.
In Dallas, most of the injury issues have been coming at end. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News reports that regular defensive tackles Chauncey Golston and Viliami Fehoko have been moved to defensive end to cover for the absences, so it makes sense that the Cowboys were on the lookout for someone to help fill out the middle. With players like Mazi Smith, Osa Odighizuwa, and Carl Davis leading the position at the moment, Phillips provides some much-needed veteran, starting experience as a depth piece.
Don’t really understand this trade. Sure I understand that Philips was probably not going to make the team and it’s better to get something than nothing. But, this trade where you help out a fellow NFC East rival with a glaring need they have is asinine. But to not only give up the player AND a 7th round pick, that in all intents and purposes will be a top 1/3 pick in the round, for a 6th rounder that will probably be in the lower 1/3 of the round makes no sense.
So in essence you gave up 2 assets to move up 10-20 picks in the later rounds where chances of finding a player to make your team is less than 2% (according to 247sports.com) but also help out your rival with an established veteran player, is not a smart move that instills confidence in the GM for me.
Here’s another way of looking at it: Phillips was likely going to get cut anyway, and there’s a non-insignificant chance he would have been picked up by Dallas in that scenario.
Thus, getting some draft capital (as marginal as it may be) for him makes sense. I highly doubt Phillips will be anything other than rotational depth, so I really don’t think it makes sense to refuse to engage in a transaction because someone’s a rival.
He’s probably better than Carl Davis, and unless Mazi Smith has improved, he & Osa might be the starters. Mazi might be the biggest miss on the defensive line since Taco Charlton. Forcing him to start doesn’t mean he’ll produce.
Phillips better playing days are behind him. Just a one or two downer, won’t be much of a pass rusher anymore – just a body.