Vikings, Harrison Phillips Agree To Extension

SEPTEMBER 12: In terms of base value, the Vikings are giving Phillips a three-year, $15MM accord. The deal includes $10.3MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. Receiving a $5MM signing bonus, Phillips will see his base salary climb from $1.4MM to $7MM from 2024-25, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling. Of that ’25 base, $4.7MM is guaranteed.

SEPTEMBER 10: Harrison Phillips had a strong start to the campaign on Sunday, and he has landed a new Vikings deal in time for Week 2. Team and player have reached agreement on a two-year extension, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.

The pact has a maximum value of $19MM, Pelissero adds. Phillips – who has remained a full-time starter along the defensive line for Minnesota since 2022 – will collect more than $13MM in guaranteed money. This deal means Phillips will remain in place through 2026.

The 28-year-old played out his rookie contract with the Bills. Over that span, he logged 11 starts and served as a run-stopping presence. Phillips recorded only 1.5 sacks in 45 Buffalo contests, but he still managed to secure a three-year pact from the Vikings in free agency. That deal was worth $19.5MM, so his play since joining the team has done enough to command a notable raise in the Vikings’ view. Phillips is set to collect $6.5MM in 2024 while carrying an $8.33MM cap hit. His base salary already locked in just before the start of the regular season, but today’s news will increase his up front earnings while potentially lowering his cap charge for the year.

Phillips logged a career-high snap share of 60% during his debut Vikings season. That produced a consistent performance against the run along with minimal pass rush production. The former third-rounder saw him playing time jump once more to 74% in 2023, the first year after Dalvin Tomlinson departed in free agency. Phillips easily posted a career high in tackles (92) while also setting a new personal best with three sacks. Not long after beginning the final year of his deal, he has now received a new commitment.

Minnesota does not have another big-money deal in place along the defensive interior. The likes of Jerry Tillery, Jonathan Bullard and Levi Drake Rodriguez are in line as complementary players to handle rotational roles alongside Phillips, who should be expected to remain a starter for the foreseeable future. The latter recorded a sack on Sunday, and further development against the pass could prove this new investment to be worthwhile.

Additions along the D-line are a potential goal for Minnesota during the 2025 offseason. The team is currently projected to be among the league leaders in cap space, so a lucrative move from outside the organization could be in play. Regardless of whether of not that takes place, however, Phillips will remain a key member of the unit for years to come.