After surprise Harrison Phillips trade, what could Vikings be planning next?

It's almost certain that Phillips going to the Jets won't be Kwesi Adofo-Mensah's final trade of the month.

Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah looks on before the game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Vikings trading defensive tackle Harrison Phillips to the Jets for a sixth-round pick and a late-round swap on Wednesday came as a pretty major surprise. Phillips had started every single game over the past three seasons and was one of the leaders of the defense as a team captain.

So why did the Vikings decide to eat half of his $7.4 million salary this season and ship him off to the AFC? Let's try to make some sense of the move and speculate on what might be next for GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

The first possibility is that the Vikings simply didn't value Phillips all that highly within a defensive tackle room that is loaded with talent and depth. The two-year extension that he signed last year was about to kick in, but that deal was signed before the Vikings went out and added Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave on multi-year deals this offseason.

Minnesota also has some real ascending talent at the DT position. Jalen Redmond showed serious flashes last season and has had a strong training camp. Levi Drake Rodriguez and Taki Taimani, a couple second-year players, are bigger bodies who can replicate some of what Phillips does well. Fifth-round rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins has had a good camp. So, too, has Elijah Williams, who signed as a tryout player after rookie minicamp. All five of those players aren't going to make the 53-man roster alongside Allen and Hargrave, but trading Phillips means one fewer cut.

Jalen Redmond was one of the highest graded young DL in the league last year

Of IDL drafted since 2021, Redmond had the 4th best overall grade — just behind T’Vondre Sweat and ahead of Kobie Turner

Redmond could be in line for a bigger role on early downs next year

Highlights: pic.twitter.com/3rri6rItju

— Krauser (@Krauserrific) March 30, 2025

It's also worth discussing who Phillips is as a player. Pro Football Focus grades are no end-all, be-all assessment, but over the past two seasons, Phillips has earned grades of 59.7 and 58.8. That's on a scale where 60 is average. He's a quality run defender who can eat up blocks, but he hasn't been as great in that area as he was in 2021 (his final season with the Bills) and 2022 (under Ed Donatell). Phillips did have 6.5 sacks and 59 pressures in his three years with the Vikings, but on a per-snap basis, he doesn't offer much as a pass rusher.

The Vikings being comfortable making this move would seem to signal that Brian Flores didn't feel Phillips' presence was necessary in the middle of his scheme. The trade clears a path to more playing time for guys like Redmond and Ingram-Dawkins, while also shedding salary (even if the Vikings are paying half of it) and adding some late-round draft capital.

That's my best guess at the logic behind the move. Still, to trade an impact starter and team leader off of a win-now defense less than three weeks before the start of the season feels inherently risky. Yes, the Vikings had depth at DT, but what if Allen or Hargrave get hurt? Minnesota is now putting a lot of faith in unproven younger players who may or may not pan out when the lights get bright. The return of a sixth-rounder and a swap is rather underwhelming, as well.

The other possible reaction or theory is that this move could help set up another move of some sort. The Vikings just picked up an extra sixth-round pick in 2026 and boosted their 2027 seventh-rounder into a sixth. Those are assets that could be used in a trade to acquire a player. The Vikings weren't in immediate need of cap space, but creating more space could also help with future additions around roster cutdown day next week.

There’s some surprise the #Vikings would trade DT Harrison Phillips — but there may be more at play...

They just added two 6th-round picks and unloaded cash… something to keep in mind for a potential next move they could be working on... https://t.co/5k1MrjG4V6

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 20, 2025

The obvious position the Vikings are targeting is wide receiver, where they at least need short-term help due to Jordan Addison's suspension, Jalen Nailor's hand injury, and Rondale Moore's season-ending knee injury. And the obvious candidate to land in Minnesota is Adam Thielen, who makes all kinds of sense due to his knowledge of Kevin O'Connell's offense.

Maybe one of these sixth-round picks ends up heading to Carolina in a deal that brings Thielen home. Or maybe Adofo-Mensah and company will have another surprising move that none of us see coming. Buckle your seatbelts, Vikings fans.