In a season marred by injuries up front, the Giants have been dealt another blow along the offensive line. Right tackle Tyre Phillips suffered a torn quad in Week 17, head coach Brian Daboll announced on Monday.
Phillips will undergo surgery as a result, and he will be sidelined for New York’s regular-season finale. The 26-year-old had stepped in as the Giants’ starter at right tackle since Week 7. With Evan Neal dealing with an ankle fracture, Phillips had the opportunity to see an extended run in first-team action.
The former third-rounder allowed a pair of sacks and 20 pressures in pass protection when in the lineup this season, his second with the Giants. Those figures resulted in an underwhelming PFF grade of 51.9, which falls in line with his evaluations from past campaigns. Still, with Neal out of the picture due to his own surgery, the Giants will be notably shorthanded at the RT spot in Week 18.
Phillips started his career with the Ravens, but he struggled to remain healthy while finding himself used at a number of spots during his Baltimore tenure. The Mississippi State alum was among the team’s final roster cuts in 2022, which led him to the Giants that season. He made 12 appearances and five starts with New York last year, but he was once again waived at the start of the 2023 campaign.
The Eagles briefly added Phillips to their practice squad, but by October he was back with the Giants in the wake of Joshua Ezeudu suffering his own injury. New York has been dealt a number of blows in that department at each position along the O-line, and today’s news adds further to that reality. Phillips is a pending free agent, and his market will no doubt take a hit given the recovery time needed from his impending procedure. The Giants will likely turn to swingman Matt Peart to man the right tackle spot when they finish the season in Week 18.