The Athletic talked to two men who know Phillips well. Eric Wood is the Buffalo Bills radio color analyst; prior to that he was an offensive lineman with the Bills for nine years and played against Phillips during Phillips’ first three seasons with the Miami Dolphins. Lorenzo Alexander, who played for the Cardinals in 2013 and 2014, was a linebacker for Buffalo last season.
Why do you think Phillips had a breakout season in 2019?
Wood: Early in his career in Miami he played behind guys like Ndamukong Suh and when he got to Buffalo in 2018 he was behind Kyle Williams and Star Lotulelei. This year he was put into a starting role and he got more reps, especially in third-down situations, which added to his sack total.
Alexander: I think it was a combination of things. He got more opportunities and he matured a lot when it comes to practice habits, taking care of his body and preparation, understanding what it takes to be successful on Sundays. All those things allowed him to have success he didn’t have early in his career. The change of venue helped too. But at the end of the day, it’s all about being disruptive. He was disruptive in 2018 but didn’t have as many snaps.
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Should Cardinals fans be concerned that he played well in a contract year and might regress now that he’s been paid?
Wood: [....] Often, sack numbers can be an anomaly. [....] You can always kind of trick yourself getting too enamored with actual stats. But I think Jordan will remain productive. He was a guy who played with a lot of effort last year. He came in with a chip on his shoulder, and I think he’ll have a chip on his shoulder going to Arizona because the Bills didn’t want to pay him.
Alexander: He has the skill set and talent. He was just really raw coming out of college (Oklahoma). He’s only scratched the surface of what he can do. I played with and for (Cardinals defensive line coach Brentson Buckner), and he’ll definitely push Jordan to the next level. Brentson will have his respect because he played, and he’ll keep Jordan process-oriented. If you really love this game you want to be one of the best, and Jordan wants to do that. I think he’ll work on the things that will allow him to have a successful career past this three-year deal.
Finally, what kind of guy is he?
Wood: Passionate, friendly, comes to work every day with a positive attitude. He loves giving guys a hard time. He’s an asset in the locker room.
Alexander: He’s a good guy. Very energetic. He’ll fit in well.