Jordan Phillips trade officially pays small dividend for New York Giants

Finally! Something has actually gone right for the New York Giants, off to an 0-2 start marked by both poor play and inexplicable roster management.

Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, traded by the Giants to the Dallas Cowboys during training camp, has now appeared in two games for Dallas. That means the trade compensation, with the Giants a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and sending their seventh-round pick in that same draft to Dallas, has now become official.

Phillips had to be on the Cowboys’ 46-man game day roster for two games for the pick swap to kick in. That has now happened.

Should the Giants have traded Phillips?

That is a fair question considering the lack of depth on the Giants’ defensive line. The Giants signed the 6-foot-6, 330-pound nose tackle in the offseason in hopes he would provide depth behind Dexter Lawrence.

Phillips, in his 11th season, never really gained traction as part of the Giants’ defensive line. He worked primarily with the third team in training camp before being dealt.

Now, the Giants appear left without quality backup for Lawrence. Both the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders have attacked the Giants with the run when they have tried to rest the 340-pound Lawrence.

Lawrence has played 75.59% of defensive snaps over the first two games. Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who has never played more than 49% of defensive snaps over his first nine NFL seasons, has played 68% of the snaps thus far.

D.J. Davidson has played just 33 snaps (25%). Jordon Riley has played only nine snaps.