There is no doubt that Quinnen Williams remains an elite defender in the NFL, but even he can’t do everything himself. The New York Jets had a concerning lack of depth at defensive tackle as training camp drew to a close, but that has now been addressed by general manager Darren Mougey who swung not one but two trades for the Jets on Wednesday.
At the cost of just a couple of late Day 3 draft picks, the Jets acquired defensive tackles from the Vikings and the Browns: Harrison Phillips and Jowon Briggs, respectively.
ESPN sources: Vikings are trading DT Harrison Phillips and a 2027 7th-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for a 2026 6th-round pick and a 2027 6th-round pick, pending Phillips’ physical.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2025
Phillips now joins Jowon Briggs as the second DT that the Jets traded for Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/5FkVEHsox3
Phillips is a seven-year veteran who has five sacks over the last two seasons while Briggs is entering just his second year. He was limited to just 133 snaps as a rookie but Pro Football Focus graded Briggs at a respectable 72.2 for those snaps.
Phillips will likely end up as a starter next to Williams along the line, given his seven years of experience. While he’s not exactly a game-wrecker, he’s a dependable veteran who could potentially see an uptick in production by playing next to a three-time Pro Bowler. As for Briggs, he’s purely a depth piece for the defensive line. He’s still young enough to develop into a quality player, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
These are the first trades for Dougey as the Jets’ general manager, and both were low-risk, low-reward deals. The Jets shipped out a couple of late Day 3 draft selections and in return received peace of mind along their defensive front. At least head coach Aaron Glenn will now have something to work with should any of his starting defensive linemen suffer a serious injury.
I liked these trades, but they’re small potatoes as far as NFL deals go so I have to give them a solid ‘C’ grade. A good start for Mougey, but hopefully more impactful deals will come in the future.