The Arizona Cardinals’ biggest move in free agency was to sign defensive lineman Jordan Phillips. They inked him to a three-year, $30 million contract, paying him more than any defensive lineman on the team since Calais Campbell.
It comes after Phillips had a career year with the Buffalo Bills in 2019. He had 9.5 sacks, 16 quarterback hits and 13 tackles for loss. In his previous four years, he had a combined 5.5 sacks, 17 quarterbacks hits and 14 tackles for loss.
What changed? Many will say he was playing for a contract or that it was simply a fluke. He disagrees.
“Nothing really changed for me,” he told media members in a video press conference. “I just had more of an opportunity. It was the first time in my career being on the third-down group. I had a lot of opportunities to get more sacks and be more productive. Buffalo did a real good job of utilizing my talents and they reaped the benefits of it last year.”
He is looking to prove last season was more than a fluke.
One of the reasons why he signed with the Cardinals was the chance to play next to Cardinals All-Pro linebacker Chandler Jones, who has more sacks than anyone in the league since he entered the league in 2012, including 19 last season.
“I wanted an elite pass rusher next to me so we could try and cause some havoc,” he said.
Jones should give Phillips more chances to get to opposing quarterbacks and, in turn, help Jones as well.
“Selfishly, it’s going to take double teams away from me and help me get free,” Phillips said about playing next to Jones. “Also, when you have somebody like that who has averaged more than 15 sacks the last few years, you don’t seem like a concern. So all the focus is on him and I get to do my thing, but also I get to open lanes for him so he can go do his thing.
“Hopefully we can be a dynamic tandem.”
The defense the Cardinals play with an attacking defensive front suits his skills, he explained, although it is the first time he is in a 3-4 defense.
“You’re doing the same things,” he said. “You’re getting after the guy in front of him and rushing the passer, and that’s what I do well.”
What goals does he have?
“Mainly just to show everybody it wasn’t a one-year thing,” he said. “I was made for this. I was built for this. Just to let everybody in Arizona know that they got the real deal and the defense is going to get back to where it needs to be.”
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Ep. 262
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Ep. 261
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