Raiders Season Review: Darius Philon

Coach Josh McDaniels, General Manager Dave Ziegler, and the new Las Vegas Raiders brain trust have made a point of remaking the team's roster at multiple positions.

One of these has been defensive tackle, where the Raiders have made multiple new signings, such as Bilal Nichols and Vernon Butler.

Management showed they are not against bringing back old faces, though, with the resigning of veteran and long-tenured Raider Jonathan Hankins.

This could bode well for the prospects of Darius Philon, who the team met with earlier this week.

A sixth-round pick of the then-San Diego Chargers in 2015, Philon eventually rose to become a starter by his fourth season.

Philon would often be able to flash his ability when rushing the passer, having 21 combined sacks and pressures in 2018.

He signed a two-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent in the 2019 off-season but was then arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, leading him to be out of the league for the next two years.

The Raiders gave him a second chance last offseason by signing Philon to a one-year deal, and despite playing in only 11 games, he was able to leave a noticeable impression.

Philon continued to show well as a pass rusher even with playing limited snaps, finishing with a 74.6 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus.

It was the best mark that any Raiders defensive tackle had last season, even more, notable considering Philon had been out of the game for a while.

Injuries were an issue with Philon being put on injured reserve twice during the season, the second one resulting in him missing the Raiders' playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

That and not playing a large number of snaps last season are likely why Philon remains a free agent now well into the off-season.

The Raiders meeting with him seems to show some interest in a reunion, which for the Silver and Black could represent a low-risk, high-reward situation.

Still, in his prime at 28 years old and now having made his comeback to the NFL, Philon should be able to come back in better shape and could reach a higher level of play.

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