The Arizona Cardinals’ biggest free agent signing this offseason has been defensive lineman Jordan Phillips. He joined the Cardinals on a three-year, $30 million contract. It was coming off his best season in the NFL in 2019.
Last season with the Buffalo Bills, he had 9.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 16 quarterback hits.
That pass-rushing production was historic.
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 341 pounds, he had more sacks than any other player weighing at least 340 pounds in NFL history has had.
Since sacks have been a stat, a player weighing at least 340 pounds has had at least eight sacks in a season only five times.
Former No. 1 overall pick Dan Wilkinson had eight sacks in both 1995 for the Cincinnati Bengals and 1999 for the Washington Redskins.
Grady Jackson had eight for the Oakland Raiders in 2000. Akiem Hicks, at 352 pounds, had 8.5 in 2017 for the Chicago Bears.
Phillips’ 9.5 in 2019 was the first time anyone of his size had had even nine sacks in a season.
If we take the weight down to 330 pounds, it still is historic. Only Marcel Dareus, at 331 pounds, had more with 10 sacks — also for the Bills — in 2014.
Phillips is tied for the second-highest single-season sack total for players at least 330 pounds with Chester McGlockton, who also had 9.5 sacks in 1994.
In all, even for players weighing at least 330 pounds, there have only been eight instances of at least eight sacks in a season.
Phillips wants everyone to believe that his 2019 production was not a fluke and that he is “the real deal.”
He now gets to play alongside Chandler Jones, the most prolific sack artist since he entered the league in 2012.
Considering the historic nature of his production last season, it would probably be unfair to expect him to match his sack numbers.
Even six sacks would be a lot, as there have only been 27 instances and 16 players in the NFL of a player weighing at least 330 pounds to have at least six sacks in a season.
That would prove Phillips is more than just a one-season wonder.
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Ep. 262
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Ep. 261
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