Former Charger safety Adrian Phillips reportedly joins New England Patriots

Adrian Phillips was cut by the Chargers eight times before he emerged as a do-it-all safety and All-Pro special teamer, but it appears he’s not coming back this time around.

Phillips agreed Thursday to join the New England Patriots on a two-year deal, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Charles Robinson. Phillips played six seasons with the Chargers after joining the team as an undrafted rookie from the University of Texas.

Phillips’ best season was in 2018 when he was named to the Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro as a special teamer, but he did a lot more for the Chargers. Instead of being the forgotten strong safety after the Chargers drafted Derwin James in 2018, Phillips stayed on the field as a linebacker and defensive back in nickel and dime coverages.

The Chargers had a crowded defensive backfield after agreeing to a two-year contract with cornerback Chris Harris Jr. on Wednesday. With Harris known as one of the best slot cornerbacks in the NFL, that could move Desmond King into Phillips’ “Swiss Army knife” role. Along with James, the Chargers have second-year player Nasir Adderley and Rayshawn Jenkins in their current safety group.

Phillips is an ideal fit for the Patriots, who are known for using their defensive backs in multiple areas. A memorable moment for Phillips as a Charger was when he injured his shoulder on the first drive against the Patriots in the 2018 postseason and returned to finish the game.

That display of toughness and determination is why Phillips often found a way back with the Chargers.

GORDON REMAINS AVAILABLE

Free-agent running back Melvin Gordon continues to search for a home.

Gordon is one of the top available players in free agency, but the running back market has been bleak, and it became crowded after the Rams released Todd Gurley on Thursday. Other notable free-agent running backs are Devonta Freeman, Lamar Miller, Carlos Hyde and Frank Gore.

Perhaps the Rams could be a landing spot for Gordon, but it depends on what price. Gordon reportedly turned down a $10 million annual offer from the Chargers during his lengthy holdout last season. It seems his next contract will be much lower than that. The Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins could be potential suitors for Gordon.

At this point, Gordon might be prioritizing fit over money and settle for a one-year prove-it deal.

Gordon had arguably his worst season in 2019 after running for 612 yards and averaged 3.8 yards per carry. But his body of work speaks for itself as a two-time Pro Bowl running back, and he doesn’t turn 27 until next month.

But teams aren’t spending big on running backs anymore, and the ones that have aren’t seeing results in their investments such as the Rams with Gurley.

There’s the possibility of Gordon returning to the Chargers, but they just re-signed Austin Ekeler to a four-year, $24.5 million extension. They’ve also already spent plenty of money in free agency with the additions of Harris, right tackle Bryan Bulaga and nose tackle Linval Joseph.

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