Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR 550) - A fan-favorite player is leaving the Buffalo Bills after four seasons spent with the organization.
As was first reported by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips is heading to the NFC North, as he has signed with the Minnesota Vikings. NFL Network reporter Mike Garafolo says Phillips is signing a three-year contract with the Vikings worth $19.5 million.
Phillips leaves the Bills after a bounce-back 2021 season in Buffalo, where he put up career numbers across the board. The 26-year-old registered 51 combined tackles in 14 games played with four tackles for loss, six quarterback hits, one sack and a fumble recovery.
The former third round pick (96th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft out of the Stanford University finished his tenure in Buffalo with 45 games played, where he registered 107 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries.
However, injuries had been an issue for Phillips during his time with the Bills, particularly in 2019 when he tore his ACL in Week 3 of the season in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Where Phillips' impact was felt the most was off the field, as he was a stalwart in the community through his Playmakers Organization, which supports children that are developmentally or physically different. His community service efforts over the years have earned Phillips the nod as the Bills' nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in both 2020 and 2021.
Although Phillips was not named the Walter Peyton Man of the Year by the NFL this past season, he did receive $5,000 for charity after finishing third in the NFL's "Charity Challenge" online fan voting for the award.
With Phillips departing Buffalo, that leaves Star Lotulelei and Ed Oliver as the team's top-two defensive tackles heading into the 2022 season.
However, the team added a pair of defensive tackles via free agency with the signings of Tim Settle and DaQuan Jones.
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