Cornerback Clark Phillips III was thrilled when his agent called to inform him Sunday that he was being traded to the Bears.
The four-year NFL veteran was acquired from the Falcons along with a 2027 fifth-round draft pick in exchange for defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Sr.
Asked about his initial reaction to the deal, Phillips said: "Honestly, excitement. Was excited to get in a new building with new guys and learn a new regime, new scheme. Coming to a place with familiar faces, so it was exciting."
One of those familiar faces is Jaylon Johnson, who preceded Phillips at Utah. Both were first-team All-Pac 12 cornerbacks for the Utes.
"Just missed him," Phillips said. "I was an early enrollee, so I was getting in like January [2020], late December [2019], and he was leaving because he didn't play in the last bowl game. So, it was like I was pulling up and he was dipping, so I like to say he passed the torch. It was like one in and one out."
Johnson provided a template for Phillips to follow on the field in college.
"He was somebody that I definitely watched," Phillips said. "With it being the same defense that I was coming into, it was easy to watch that film with the same calls, the same plays. It was like, 'OK, this is where you fit, this is what you're going to do and go make plays,' and we did that."
Although they never were college teammates, the two formed a bond as Utah cornerbacks, with Phillips describing Johnson as "someone that I lean on."
After being selected by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, Phillips sought advice from Johnson about life in the NFL. In three seasons in Atlanta, Phillips appeared in 28 games with seven starts, recording 63 tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception. He spent most of last season on injured reserve, playing sparingly in only one game on special teams.
Phillips lined up mostly outside at cornerback with the Falcons, but he does some have experience inside at the slot position.
"What I saw on tape was a guy that looked to me like he had some football savvy and some football intelligence," said defensive coordinator Dennis Allen. "Actually, the majority of tape we saw he played a little bit more outside, and yet I see him fitting into that nickel mix a little bit. We'll see how quickly does he pick everything up and then kind of go from there."
Phillips does not have a position preference.
"I'm excited for whatever I've got to do," he said. "I just honestly want to help this team win. Whether it's outside, whether it's inside, I'm ready to go."
Phillips also possesses special teams experience, having played 153 snaps in 27 games in his first two NFL seasons with the Falcons in 2023-24.
"I can play gunner, jammer on punt return," he said. "I've played most positions, especially on the outside. You talk about kickoff, all that stuff. I'm willing to play whatever they're willing to put me at."
