The Buffalo Bills should try to bring back defensive tackle Harrison Phillips but who could they be competing with during free agency?
One of the players on the Buffalo Bills last season set to be a free agent that should be a priority to bring back is defensive tackle Harrison Phillips. He was a third round pick by Buffalo in 2018 and had an up and down first few years with the team.
In 2019, Phillips started the year off really well before suffering a knee injury in Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals. He would be able to return in 2020 but wasn’t able to play at the same level he did earlier in the prior season.
This season, Phillips once again got off to a slow start but this was likely due to suffering a torn PCL during the preseason, as Phillips told The Buffalo News. It seemed like he finally was able to move past all his injuries and in the second half of this year, he played really well.
Phillips would become the starting defensive tackle next to Ed Oliver and the idea of re-signing him doesn’t seem as far-fetched as it did this time last year. The best-case scenario for Buffalo would be agreeing to a new deal before free agency but if he is not signed prior to that, these are four teams that could be competing to sign the former Stanford defensive tackle.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are similar to the Buffalo Bills in that they have a good defensive tackle under contract next year in Arik Armstead but could see significant changes with a number of other players free agents this offseason.
The 49ers have three defensive tackles (D.J. Jones, Maurice Hurst, Kevin Givens) all set to be free agents, according to Spotrac.
The 49ers have a good defensive line with Armstead and Nick Bosa but could use a run-stuffing defensive tackle like Phillips to clog up the middle of the line. For Harrison Phillips, he could consider the 49ers as it would give him a chance to return to the area where he played college football at Stanford University.
Cleveland Browns
Another team that could be looking to strengthen their defensive tackle position and improve their run defense is the Cleveland Browns. They have one of the premier defensive ends in the NFL in Myles Garrett and will likely try to bring back Jadaveon Clowney to anchor the other end of the defensive line.
However, the interior could be improved, especially with Malik Jackson set to be a free agent.
The thought process for the Browns would be similar to the 49ers in that they could add a defensive tackle Harrison Phillips who excels at doing the dirty work on the interior of the line. He does a good job of anchoring himself and clogging running lanes.
This would free up Garrett and Clowney on the edge in more winnable situations to either set the edge or rush the quarterback.
Los Angeles Chargers
Last year, the Los Angeles Chargers allowed the third-most rushing yards per game with an average of 138.9 yards. While 2019 first round pick Jerry Tillery looks like he has a chance to be good in the NFL, they need another defensive tackle to pair with him.
The Chargers have a number of free agents at the position this offseason with Justin Jones and Linval Joseph the notable players. It would make sense for them to look at a player like Harrison Phillips as he could be more of a long-term answer at the position.
The addition of Phillips would also allow Tillery to do more of what he does best and that is rush the passer from the middle of the line. He is more of a three-tech defensive tackle, similar to Ed Oliver, so pairing him with Phillips would free him up to be more of a penetrating defensive tackle and make plays on the other side of the line.
Kansas City Chiefs
The final team is one that the Buffalo Bills likely would not want to see happen as they are essentially chasing the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC. After being eliminated the past two years in the playoffs by the Chiefs, it wouldn’t be ideal to see one of their top free agents make their top competition better.
However, in terms of needs, Harrison Phillips would be a great fit for this defense. The Chiefs finished the year allowing 117.6 rushing yards per game, which ranked in 12th in the NFL for most rushing yards allowed.
The Chiefs, similar to the other teams on this list, also have good defensive linemen but could use that solid one-tech defensive tackle in the middle. Kansas City did have Jarran Reed this past season to serve that role but he is set to be a free agent this offseason.
If the Chiefs were to add Harrison Phillips, it would be a big boost for players like Chris Jones and Frank Clark and strengthen their defensive line overall.