Jets-Titans Trade Sparks Vikings Reunion Theory
Out of nowhere, the New York Jets and Tennessee Titans finagled a rare player-for-player trade on Thursday, and the backhanded fallout suggests Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips could end up back in Minnesota, at least according to budding fan sentiment.
If Phillips becomes the odd man out, Minnesota would know exactly what it’s getting: sturdy run defense and leadership.
Phillips played for the Vikings for three seasons before former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah unceremoniously traded him to New York last summer.
Johnson-Sweat Trade Fallout Could Push Phillips Loose
Bring him home, they say.
Jets, Titans Swap Defensive Linemen
It’s a DT to New York and a DE to Tennessee.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra wrote Thursday, “We have a rare February trade agreement. The New York Jets are trading pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for nose tackle T’Vondre Sweat, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported Thursday, per sources informed of the deal. The trade can’t be consummated until the new league year opens on March 11.”
“The trade reunites Johnson with new Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who was in New York when the Jets used a first-round pick on the edge rusher in 2022. Johnson had a roller-coaster four seasons in New York, generating 13.0 total sacks. He earned a Pro Bowl nod under Saleh in 2023, earning 7.5 sacks, but a 2024 injury wiped out all but two tilts, and he never seemed right last season.”
The deal caught Titans fans off guard because Sweat fired up a phenomenal 2025 campaign. Most didn’t think he was for sale.
Harrison Phillips as the Odd Man Out?
If one believes Jets-themed media, the Sweat trade has put Phillips on notice. He could be released in the wake of the deal.
The Jet Press‘s Mike Luciano wrote, “The Jets may cut Harrison Phillips after T’Vondre Sweat acquisition. Bringing in a player like Sweat could mean that some of the other defensive linemen on the team could see their roles change in a significant way.”
“Veteran Harrison Phillips put together a robust season for the Jets, but adding Sweat may push him out of a starting role. Phillips was a quality run stuffer last year, which is exactly what the Jets acquired him from the Minnesota Vikings to do.”
New York would incur no dead cap penalty for dropping Phillips; it would save $7.5 million. His contract’s guaranteed money ran out in 2025.
Luciano continued, “Phillips was an exemplary leader, so much so that it should not surprise anyone if he earns a captain patch, should he remain on the roster. However, Phillips has next to no upside as a pass rusher, and his skills in run defense were ultimately overshadowed by the fact that he was unable to trouble opposing quarterbacks at all.”
“Sweat may not be John Randle as a pass rusher, but he can be disruptive on the interior.”
The Head-Scratcher Adofo-Mensah Trade
The Vikings’ decision to trade Phillips to the Jets last August — along with a 7th-round pick in exchange for two 6th-rounders — immediately puzzled many. Phillips, a team captain and a reliable defensive lineman, was highly respected within the organization.
Although the Vikings finished third in the NFL in EPA per play on defense, Phillips’ run-stopping prowess was noticeably missed at times during the 2025 season. Furthermore, the two additional 6th-round picks acquired in the trade rarely yield impactful players.
During his tenure in Minnesota, Phillips established himself as a tone-setting and dependable defensive tackle. He consistently performed well at a position that had often been a weak point, providing much-needed stability to the interior defensive line.
Off the field, Phillips was deeply involved in the community. Over 51 games with the Vikings, the 29-year-old amassed 207 tackles, 17 quarterback hits, and 6.5 sacks, solidifying his role as a respected voice in the locker room.
He’s one of the good guys.
Would Phillips Want to Return?
Vikings fans rushed to social media regarding the Johnson-Sweat trade, spitballing that Phillips would be cut as a byproduct and that a reunion in Minnesota would make sense. On paper, that idea seems great — making right a trade that didn’t add up in the first place.
But would Phillips really want to rejoin the club that kicked him out less than a year ago? Is it enough to tell him that Adof0-Mensah was fired and all is well?
Just because Phillips may be a free agent soon doesn’t mean he’ll want to reunite with the team that treated him disloyally.
On the other hand, Vikings DT Javon Hargrave is reportedly on the trade block. Perhaps Minnesota will trade Hargrave or release him and simply re-sign Phillips if he’s in the right mood.
Fun fact: the newest Titan, EDGE Jermaine Johnson, went to Eden Prairie High School.
You must be logged in to post a comment.