Big Blue Huddle

The New York Giants signed veteran defensive lineman Jordan Phillips.

The 6-foot-6, 341-pound Oklahoma product has played in 120 games (62 starts) throughout his career for the Buffalo Bills (2018-19, 2022-23), Arizona Cardinals (2020-21), and Miami Dolphins (2015-18), who selected him in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Phillips has also appeared in three postseason games – two with Buffalo and another with Miami.

His career numbers include 181 tackles (36 for loss) and 24 sacks, including a personal-best 9.5 with the Bills in 2019. He also has 51 quarterback hits, 24 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one interception off Ryan Fitzpatrick during a win for the Dolphins over the Jets in 2016.

Last season, Phillips played in 14 games with Buffalo and batted down a career-high five passes to go along with 2.5 sacks. He started nine consecutive games at defensive tackle before suffering a season-ending wrist injury.

https://www.giants.com/news/giants-sign-veteran-defensive-lineman-jordan-phillips-buffalo-bills-free-agency-nfl

DOB
1992-09-21 (31.5)
HEIGHT
6'6"
WEIGHT
341
SPEED
5.17
COLLEGE
Oklahoma Sooners
DRAFT YEAR
2015
DRAFT TEAM
Miami Dolphins
ROUND
2
SELECTION
52

Really nice depth piece. Can't have enough quality on your defensive line. Kudos to Schoen in finding a dude with starting experience and getting him for the vet minimum.

Mammoth NT. Do we see one of Riley/Davidson as a 3T option? Are we considering moving Dex off the nose (surely not!)? Is it snap management for Dex?

Quote from: londonblue on April 11, 2024, 03:07:44 PMMammoth NT. Do we see one of Riley/Davidson as a 3T option? Are we considering moving Dex off the nose (surely not!)? Is it snap management for Dex?

The man is currently 31 and a half years old.  That is around the age those very large men start to break down.  I am frankly puzzled as to the purpose of this signing with respect to the points you raised as well.

Quote from: MightyGiants on April 11, 2024, 03:11:49 PMThe man is currently 31 and a half years old.  That is around the age those very large men start to break down.  I am frankly puzzled as to the purpose of this signing with respect to the points you raised as well.

What happens, god forbid, if big Dex gets hurt and misses significant time?

He did get injured last year but is still a solid guy when fit. It is just the fit I struggle with. We have a lot of massive humans at DT. At 6'2" 307 Nacho is the 'dwarf' with everyone else 325+.

How has he been stopping the run recently ?

If you were to ask me ... my wanted positions in the first 2 rounds of the draft are

1. WR ...... unless Caleb/Maye/Daniels falls to 6
2. Run stuffing DT

Quote from: londonblue on April 11, 2024, 03:23:07 PMHe did get injured last year but is still a solid guy when fit. It is just the fit I struggle with. We have a lot of massive humans at DT. At 6'2" 307 Nacho is the 'dwarf' with everyone else 325+.

How many guys currently on the roster, other than Dex, have a similar number of starts or games played at NT? The answer is none, and at 350 pounds even if he stays healthy all year long he's going to need rest during the games. Are we really questiong spending the vet minimum to get a quality backup to our most important defensive player?

Doug Analytics
@Doug_Analytics
Jordan Phillips Various 2023 Stats

• Total snaps: 389 (44% of healthy BUF snaps)
• Pass snaps: 252 (65%)
• Faced a 66.7% expected pass rate (2nd highest among BUF DL)

• Tackle Depth: 1.2 yards after LOS (6th/6 BUF DL w/ 15+ comb tckl)
• 2.69s time to pressure (2nd BUF DL)

https://x.com/Doug_Analytics/status/1778511267902132287

I'm not saying this guy will be bad, but we have not done a good job at all with these veteran "depth" D line signings over the years. Both under Schoen and Gettleman. They have pretty much all been somewhere between underwhelming and terrible.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on April 11, 2024, 04:04:24 PMI'm not saying this guy will be bad, but we have not done a good job at all with these veteran "depth" D line signings over the years. Both under Schoen and Gettleman. They have pretty much all been somewhere between underwhelming and terrible.

Perhaps it's because we've been largely forced to resort to fill out our depth with guys signed to the veteran minimum because of Gettleman's abysmal cap management. 

Quote from: madbadger on April 11, 2024, 04:40:39 PMPerhaps it's because we've been largely forced to resort to fill out our depth with guys signed to the veteran minimum because of Gettleman's abysmal cap management. 

We paid A'Shawn Robinson well more than the veteran minimum, and people seemed upbeat on that signing.

He stunk and is now gone.

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on April 11, 2024, 04:45:04 PMWe paid A'Shawn Robinson well more than the veteran minimum, and people seemed upbeat on that signing.

He stunk and is now gone.

How many above the vet minimum depth pieces have we been able to sign the last five years?

Quote from: madbadger on April 11, 2024, 04:47:10 PMHow many above the vet minimum depth pieces have we been able to sign the last five years?

A'Shawn Robinson and Austin Johnson are the first two that come to mind. Not sure who else.