The Houston Texans signed former Cleveland Browns free-agent linebacker Jacob Phillips (pectoral) to an undisclosed one-year deal on Monday, according to a source. Phillips was drafted in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft out of LSU and was with the Browns for his first four NFL seasons. However, the 25-year-old spent all of last year on Injured Reserve due to a torn pectoral muscle. It was the second straight year that he ended the season on Injured Reserve due to a pectoral injury, and Phillips has a total of 88 tackles (57 solo), three sacks, five tackles for loss and five passes defended in his three years played in the league in 20 games (eight starts). Now that Phillips appears to be past his latest pectoral injury, he'll be fighting for a roster spot out of training camp in Houston this summer.
Cleveland Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips (pectoral) is done for the 2023-2024 season before it really begins. The 24-year-old suffered a torn pectoral muscle, which is going to cost him the whole season. This is a tough blow to the Browns as Phillips was set to play a big role on defense this season. The former third-round pick has been limited to 20 total games over three seasons due to injuries. Hopefully, Phillips will get healthy and get his career back on track next season.
Cleveland Browns starting linebacker Jacob Phillips (pectoral) tore his pectoral muscle in the Week 7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday and will now likely require season-ending surgery, according to a source. An already bad Browns run defense just got worse with the loss of Phillips, who will finish his 2022 season with a career-high 46 tackles (29 solo), two sacks and a pass defensed in seven games (four starts). The Browns will be hoping that the recently acquired Deion Jones, a former second-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, can step up with Phillips most likely not coming back until 2023. Firing up opposing running backs against the Browns defense has been a good strategy in fantasy football this year.
Jacob Phillips Could Miss The Season With Biceps Injury
Cleveland Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips suffered a torn biceps tendon in practice on Thursday and his season could be in jeopardy. Phillips will need surgery to repair the tendon, although he has a chance to return to the field late in the season, according to a league source. The second-year player out of LSU was expected to be the No. 2 middle linebacker behind Anthony Walker while also getting some reps at weakside linebacker. Cleveland was expecting Phillips to take a big step forward in his second season after he dealt with injuries as a rookie but fortunately the Browns still have good depth at the position. The team's defense has had some bad luck in the injury department during camp as Myles Garrett, Ronnie Harrison, Grant Delpit, Sione Takitaki, and Denzel Ward have all missed time with varying issues. The Browns defense has the potential to be a top-10 unit in fantasy leagues this year, provided the injury bug doesn't remain an issue.
The Cleveland Browns selected inside linebacker Jacob Phillips out of LSU with the 97th overall pick in the third round. Phillips brings size and great tackling abilities to the Browns. He accumulated 113 tackles and one sack in 15 games played in 2019. With a relatively unknown linebacker corps in Cleveland heading into 2020, Phillips may get a chance to compete for a bigger role immediately. His biggest assets are his versatility and reliable tackling, but he might be a liability in coverage against tight ends and running backs.