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Does Tyre Phillips Have the Inside Track on the Swing Tackle Role?

Tyre Phillips played solid ball last year when called upon in relief of the starting tackles. Is that experience enough to secure his place on this year's roster?

Joe Najarian

Does Tyre Phillips Have the Inside Track on the Swing Tackle Role?
Does Tyre Phillips Have the Inside Track on the Swing Tackle Role? /
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Tyre Phillips, Offensive Lineman 

Height: 6-foot-5 | Weight: 344 pounds
2022 Stats: 12 GP/ 5 GS. 365 offensive snaps played, 282 at right tackle, 65 as left tackle, 6 as right guard, 11 as ITE.

When the New York Giants picked up offensive lineman Tyre Phillips from the waiver wire, it was a much-needed change of scenery.

During his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, who selected him in the third round of the 2020 draft, Phillips struggled to develop as he was constantly moved around on an injury-riddled offensive line. Being switched from right guard to left guard to right tackle out of necessity, Phillips never had a chance to get comfortable and ended up being released by the Ravens in 2022.

After the Giants picked him up, Phillips appeared in 12 games and started in five. Four of his starts were at right tackle, and the other was at left tackle. Although he wasn’t a true difference-maker, Phillips appears to be in a better situation than he was in Baltimore because he didn’t have to constantly shift back and forth between guard and tackle.

Best Case Scenario

Phillips was drafted as an offensive guard, but entering the fourth year of his career, he’s seen more time as a right tackle. Last year, he filled in for the injured Evan Neal for four starts and started the final game of the regular season at left tackle when Andrew Thomas was given the night off.

Although the constant shifting around with Baltimore was ultimately a detriment to Phillips’ development, the Giants could get good use of him as a swing tackle. Similarly to the Ravens in 2021, the 2022 Giants dealt with a litany of injuries to the offensive line, and Phillips needed to provide much-needed depth to either Neal or Thomas (in this case, it was Neal).

But unlike the Ravens, who made Phillips play whatever position they needed help with, the Giants chose to stick with him as a tackle, giving the 26-year-old a much-needed identity.

The best-case scenario for Phillips is to win the swing tackle job, as the Giants can use his versatility to develop him properly. While the Giants need help at both guard positions, they’re banking on Mark Glowinski to bounce back at right guard and for Joshua Ezeudu to develop on the left side.

Worst Case Scenario

The Ravens switched Phillips from right guard to right tackle in the middle of the 2020 season, which immediately derailed the once-promising rookie; after allowing just one sack as a guard, he allowed five as a tackle.

Even with 751 snaps at right tackle in his career, Phillips has never looked comfortable. While the Giants are looking to get the most out of him as a swing tackle, they wouldn’t be getting him to the best of his overall ability, either. The position switching with Baltimore has capped his upside, which is now limited compared to New York’s other offensive linemen.

The worst-case scenario is if Phillips doesn’t win the swing tackle job. His primary competition is Matt Peart, who has never seen consistent snaps as a Giant and has largely underperformed when on the field. If Phillips can’t beat out Peart, he officially becomes expendable.

What To Expect in 2023

Phillips is in a difficult situation in that he’s too good to keep on the practice squad but not good enough to be an outright starter. As such, expect him to make the starting roster even if he doesn’t win the swing tackle job.

However, the loser of the swing tackle competition won’t likely be a Giant for much longer. Teams always value offensive line depth, and the Giants already have plenty of offensive tackles to use, including Thomas and Neal as starters.

Between Phillips and Peart, the winner will be the backup to Thomas and Neal, while the loser could be traded away or cut outright. Either way, this is the time for Phillips to show that his true upside is higher than what he’s shown before.

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Joe Najarian
JOE NAJARIAN

Joe Najarian, a Rutgers University graduate, covered Rutgers Football and Rutgers Baseball during an eight-month stint with Jersey Sporting News (JSN).

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