The NFL mandates that teams release practice reports that chart which players are limited by injury and to what extent. To those outside the building, an appearance on the report by a player can cause some confusion, especially if that player seemed fine during the most recent game and there were no reports of an injury suffered during practice.

But it seems one Cowboys defender’s inclusion on first injury report of Week 3 is coming as a surprise, even to him.

Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, who was just acquired by the team a month ago, was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with what the Cowboys have identified as a sprained wrist.

Phillips says that’s news to him.

“I don’t know,” he answered when asked how the injury came about, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “That’s above my pay grade. You have to ask the people making the decisions.”

The former second-round draft pick did have surgery last season while with the Bills to repair a dislocated wrist suffered in a win against Dallas, but when asked by reporters midweek if his wrist was “good,” Phillips responded “yes.”

“It is what it is, I guess,” he continued.

One official said the team is being cautious with Phillips.

Phillips played 19 defensive snaps Sunday versus New Orleans but did not record any official statistics. He assisted on a lone tackle and logged one quarterback hit in the season opener at Cleveland.

His PFF grade stands at 29.6, among the lowest grades in the league among defensive linemen.

One play from the Week 2 loss showed the 330-pound Phillips being pushed around badly and ultimately getting flung into the feet of both safety Malik Hooker and cornerback Trevon Diggs nearly ten yards downfield.

Another replay showed Phillips getting away from his blocker on a pass play, but instead of going after Saints quarterback Derek Carr, he inexplicably turned around and re-engaged with New Orleans offensive tackle Trevor Penning, who was still on the ground.

Clarence Hill Jr. and Joseph Hoyt of DLLS Sports point out that Phillips was acquired in a trade that also netted the Cowboys a 2026 seventh-round draft pick, but only if Phillips played two games for Dallas. His appearance on the field Sunday officially checked that box.

And now Phillips will miss at least four games with a wrist injury that he claims not to know anything about.

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Carlos Watkins, who played defensive tackle with the Cowboys in 2021 and 2022, was signed off the Commanders’ practice squad as a likely replacement.