Chiefs Sign Former Bills Lineman

Kansas City, MO – March 23, 2025

The Kansas City Chiefs have added a familiar face to their defensive front, signing former Buffalo Bills lineman Harrison Phillips to a 2-year, $12 million deal. The agreement, finalized late Saturday, brings the 29-year-old defensive tackle from Minnesota to Arrowhead as the Chiefs aim to fortify their interior line for a third straight Super Bowl run. With $16.4 million in cap space per Spotrac, GM Brett Veach snagged Phillips after his release from the Vikings, where he’d been locked into a $15 million extension through 2026. “Harrison’s a grinder who knows how to win,” Veach said. “He’s a perfect fit for our D-line.” The $6 million annual average, with $7 million guaranteed, reflects a budget-friendly move for a proven veteran eager to chase a ring.

Phillips brings a robust resume to Kansas City after a standout tenure with the Vikings. In 2024, he started all 17 games, racking up 56 tackles, 2 sacks, 4 pass defensed, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery while playing 59% of defensive snaps, per NFL.com. His career peaked in 2023 with a whopping 92 tackles and 3 sacks—second-most among NFL linemen—showing his chops as a run-stopper. Across 115 games (82 starts) with the Bills (2018-2021) and Vikings (2022-2024), he’s tallied 278 tackles and 8 sacks. While not a sack machine like teammate Chris Jones, Phillips’ 2024 PFF grade of 75.2 underscores his reliability as a 1-tech nose tackle who clogs lanes and frees up edge rushers.

For the Chiefs, Phillips’ arrival plugs a gap left by Charles Omenihu’s injury struggles, pairing him with Jones to form a formidable interior duo. His run-stopping prowess—evident in a career-high 13 tackles against the Eagles in 2023—could neutralize AFC threats like Derrick Henry, a playoff nemesis. Fans on X cheered: “Phillips with Jones? Chiefs D-line just got nasty!” His addition deepens a rotation including George Karlaftis and Mike Danna, boosting Steve Spagnuolo’s third-down pressure schemes. For the Bills, losing Phillips in 2022 still stings—he was a fan favorite (“Horrible Harry”) who grew into a star elsewhere. With Ed Oliver and a thin DT crew, Buffalo might rue not keeping him, especially as their run defense faltered in 2024 playoffs. Phillips’ Chiefs move could haunt Orchard Park come postseason.