Vikings trade Harrison Phillips

[MaroonBells]

I'm going to guess this is about two things: 

1. The Vikings love their young depth on the line. Namely, LDR, TID, Redmond and maybe even Elijah Williams. There is also the fact that Hargrave can play nose. 

2. Cap space for a bigger than expected move at WR and/or DB.

[Viking1987isback]

and it's also almost ten million of next years cap

[RS_Express]

Um. Wow. Sure didn't get much for the guy. I guess this is mostly a 2026 salary dump. Also according to ESPN we get a 2026 6th and a 2027 6th and 7th. Kwesi trying to stockpile picks in advance of next offseason's fire sale?

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/4603...won-briggs

[comet52]

Phillips was moved to 2nd string during joint practices-a clue.

They like the young guys and Allen and Hargrave look good, so finding room for Phillips to play was going to be an issue.  

And the NFL is a harsh business.  I liked the guy but the team is going to make moves that shed vet salaries and promote younger, cheaper talent when and where they can.

[MaroonBells]

and it's also almost ten million of next years cap

Yep. I think we can pretty safely say, then, that this move has been in the works for some time. In fact, I think they knew going into free agency and the draft that they were going to trade Harrison Phillips, and this is likely why Phillips has been giving starting reps to younger players all camp long, and why he didn't play a snap in either preseason game.

[MAD GAINZ]

I'm going to guess this is about two things: 

1. The Vikings love their young depth on the line. Namely, LDR, TID, Redmond and maybe even Elijah Williams. There is also the fact that Hargrave can play nose. 

2. Cap space for a bigger than expected move at WR and/or DB.

100 percent.  When we signed Hargrave and Allen to big money deals after extending Harrison Phillips, something had to give.  We weren't going to keep three 30+ year old veteran DL guys with big cap numbers in 2026.

This trade definitely shows that the Vikings like their young depth a lot.  Phillips is a strong run defender, but doesn't give you much as a pass rusher.  Great dude and locker room presence.  Better to move him to a team that will give him a starting opportunity than keep him one more year, reduce his snaps, and push a younger, cheaper talent off our roster.

Wish him the best, he was a good player for us the past couple years.

[purplefaithful]

100 percent.  When we signed Hargrave and Allen to big money deals after extending Harrison Phillips, something had to give.  We weren't going to keep three 30+ year old veteran DL guys with big cap numbers in 2026.

This trade definitely shows that the Vikings like their young depth a lot.  Phillips is a strong run defender, but doesn't give you much as a pass rusher.  Great dude and locker room presence.  Better to move him to a team that will give him a starting opportunity than keep him one more year, reduce his snaps, and push a younger, cheaper talent off our roster.

Wish him the best, he was a good player for us the past couple years.

I like the guy for what he brought to the community and locker room...The DL depth has improved the last 2 seasons too. 

I read somewhere that Hargrave, Allen and Phillips all (+30) and each were accounting for $6mm plus against this years cap too. 

Could they have lived with that for 25? Sure, but as others said, this is an older team due to draft challenges. They will make a concerted effort to get younger and cheaper - starting now I guess. 

Much as I like the guy, he was on the clock as soon as they signed the 2 FA DL this year

[supafreak84]

Lets look at this objectively. We are banking on two 30+ year old lineman signed in free agency coming off major injuries. Phillips is 29 and has played in every game the last three seasons. The backups are completely unproven. Redmond flashed a little, but LDR was a scratch in every game, and Ingram-Dawkins is a mid round athletic flyer that didn't even start at Georgia. Taimani has reportedly been basically a non factor in camp. I would have felt a lot better starting a proven veteran run stuffer in Phillips over now having to rely on unproven players. Questionable decision for sure

[comet52]

Lets look at this objectively.

I think the Vikings did just that.  They like what they've seen this summer from the two f.a.'s and young guys including Williams.  The kid made it into a Baldy's Breakdown--I think sneaking him onto the p.s. was no longer an option.

Phillips got caught in a numbers game as mainly a run stuffer on a higher salary making him more expendable than younger, cheaper guys.  I see it purely as roster construction and the fact they could get a pick and a little cap relief this year was just a bonus.

[supafreak84]

I think the Vikings did just that.  They like what they've seen this summer from the two f.a.'s and young guys including Williams.  The kid made it into a Baldy's Breakdown--I think sneaking him onto the p.s. was no longer an option.

Phillips got caught in a numbers game as mainly a run stuffer on a higher salary making him more expendable than younger, cheaper guys.  I see it purely as roster construction and the fact they could get a pick and a little cap relief this year was just a bonus.

It's risky relying on a lot of guys with little to no experience who were mostly late round/UDFA flyers in combination with older vets coming off major injuries. Phillips at the very least gives you an experienced rotational piece who knows the defense and is extremely reliable. For a team trying to still win its first playoff game under the new regime and on the cusp of the new season starting...it's a strange move.