Jordan Phillips
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Former Bills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips at Highmark Stadium on October 26, 2023.
The Buffalo Bills took a loss before setting foot on the field, losing second-year defensive lineman DeWayne Carter to a season-ending injury.
The setback dealt a blow to the team’s defensive line rotation and could force them to call on a familiar face to take Carter’s spot. While the Bills have not announced how they plan to fill the vacant roster spot, one insider suggests that Jordan Phillips will earn the promotion from the practice squad.
Bills Hit With Late Injury
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported on August 31 that Carter had suffered a torn Achilles, an injury that will wipe out his 2025 season and require a lengthy recovery.
“Sources:#Bills DT DeWayne Carter tore his Achilles and will miss the entire 2025 season,” Schultz wrote in a post on X. “The talented 2024 3rd-round pick was poised to be part of Buffalo’s defensive rotation this year. A tough blow.”
The injury came exactly a week before the Bills kick off the 2025 season against the Baltimore Ravens. Reporter Ryan Talbot of Syracuse.com noted that the Bills had signed two defensive tackles to their practice squad, including 10-year veteran Jordan Phillips, and will likely call on one of them to fill Carter’s spot.
Even before Carter’s injury, Lance Lysowski of the Buffalo News noted that Phillips was brought on as something of an insurance policy as the second-year defensive lineman continued to struggle.
“DeWayne Carter, a third-round pick in 2024, did not show enough in training camp or preseason to ensure that the Bills had enough depth behind their starting defensive tackles, Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones,” Lysowski wrote. “The team learned shortly after signing eight-year veteran Larry Ogunjobi in March that he would be suspended six games to start the season for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.”
Jordan Phillips Ready for Leadership Role
Phillips was excited about his return to Buffalo in what will be his fourth stint with the team. He said he was looking forward to working with rookies T.J. Sanders and Deone Walker, helping show them the ropes and get adjusted to the NFL.
“This team is going to do great things, and when you’ve got young guys who we drafted, you’ve got to have somebody in there that can help lead and show,” Phillips said, via the Buffalo News. “Me and Deone are pretty much the same body type. That’s different when a coach tells you to get lower, or you need to do this, that and the other, but when I’ve done it for so many years, being pretty much the same size, it’s a lot easier.”
The Bills had just signed Carter at the end of August, adding him to one of the veteran spots on the practice squad.
Sanders and Walker could each take on bigger roles now that Carter will miss the season. The Bills could turn to Phillips to take on a rotational role as well. The 32-year-old has plenty of NFL experience, appearing in 129 games with 62 starts. He has made 187 total tackles and 24.0 sacks, adding two interceptions and three forced fumbles.