The #Saints today worked out former #Jets DE Kyle Phillips, who played in 29 games (eight starts) over three seasons in New York, recording 65 tackles from 2019-21.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 24, 2023
This is interesting. The New Orleans Saints worked out former New York Jets defensive end Kyle Phillips as a pre-training camp free agent tryout, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. Phillips started 8 of the 29 games he appeared in for the Jets from 2019 to 2021 (as a teammate with Nathan Shepherd, one of the big free agent defensive tackles the Saints signed this year), though he was out of the NFL in 2022.
Phillips fits the athletic prototype the Saints value at defensive end, weighing in at a listed 6-foot-4 and 277 pounds with a Relative Athletic Score of 8.3. He played college football at Tennessee, where the Saints have often looked to for talent — including players like Alvin Kamara, Alontae Taylor, Shy Tuttle, Marquez Callaway, Bryce Thompson, Ethan Wolf, and wide receivers coach Kodi Burns. In short, he’s their kind of guy.
We’ll see if a deal materializes. Phillips has an injury history. He went down at midseason in 2020 with an ankle injury, and he didn’t see the field until November in 2021 while on the physically unable to perform list (PUP). The Saints could use more depth along the defensive line. He’d likely be competing with guys like Jabari Zuniga and Niko Lalos for a spot on the practice squad, but maybe he’s learned some things that could give him an edge.
