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The Las Vegas Raiders have mostly overhauled the interior of their defensive line outside of re-signing Johnathan Hankins. New defensive coordinator Patrick Graham didn’t show much interest in bringing back many defensive tackles from last season. However, there’s one more player from last season who could have a chance to get brought back.
According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Raiders held a visit with defensive tackle Darius Philon.
He was with the team last season and showed really strong flashes. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his season. He was placed on Injured Reserve early in the season but eventually returned. During the last game against the Los Angeles Chargers, he tore a patellar tendon. Philon had a bad stretch of injury luck last season but he’s got good juice as a pass rusher, which is exactly what the Raiders need on the defensive line. It’s unclear what his recovery timeline is considering he was hurt during the last game of the regular season. Concerns over his injury could be a reason he remains unsigned.
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Philon Responds to Raiders Rumors
Philon hasn’t been shy on social media about wanting to come back to the team. The Raiders gave him a chance after he was out of the league for two seasons. Former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley had coached him in the past so it would make sense if Graham isn’t as quick to want to sign him.
Raiders fans have appreciated Philon’s tenacity on the field and personality on social media. Many of them came out to call for the team to sign him after news of his visit broke. Philon responded to the fans and just said that he’d “be thankful to have an opportunity to play the game I love.”
It’s unclear what exactly he meant by this tweet. After his visit with the Raiders, he must not have much clarity on what his future holds. He clearly wants to be with the team but they have yet to make a commitment to him. There is still plenty of time before training camp starts so the Raiders could wait to see how he heals from last season’s injury before giving him a contract.
Raiders Defense More Concerning Than the Offense
The Raiders’ offense is loaded. Derek Carr, Darren Waller, Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow and Josh Jacobs have all made Pro Bowls. That’s not to mention Kolton Miller and Kenyan Drake who have proven to be great players but haven’t made the Pro Bowl. On defense, things are dicier. Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones form one of the best pass-rushing duos in the NFL but there are questions marks at every level.
Trayvon Mullen and Rock Ya-Sin have a lot of potential at cornerback but they are young and haven’t proven to be consistent starters. Safety is also a need for the team. The NFL is becoming more offense driven and the Raiders know that. The potential is there for the team to have a very good defense but it’s less of a sure thing than the offense.
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