One player from each position to surprisingly make the Raiders roster
By Nick Ellis
One player from each position to surprisingly make the Raiders roster
Defensive Line: Darius Philon
Darius Philon has not played an NFL snap since 2018, and while the Raiders brought in plenty of defensive line help this offseason, and all signs point to Philon being the odd man out, I am not completely convinced. Remember, this is a guy who played two seasons under Gus Bradley with the Chargers, so that could have played a role in the team bringing him in this offseason.
In 2018, Philon recorded four sacks as an interior pass rusher, more than what previous Raiders interior rushers have been able to record. I am not sold on Solomon Thomas or Niles Scott at this point, and I believe if there is one player with the potential to break out and make the team, it could be Philon.
Although he has not played in a long time, he still has a lot of athletic ability, and he could turn out to perform better than he did in 2018. Jon Gruden is a coach who does not mind taking risks, and that was clear when bringing in Philon.