Raiders free agency: Interior defensive linemen to consider in 2022
Darius Philon
Darius Philon was one of the best signings in the entire NFL last offseason and the Raiders got him at a bargain due to an off-the-field incident when he was with the Arizona Cardinals that turned out to be a falsehood anyway. So he joined the Raiders due to familiarity with Gus Bradley, and since no other team was after him to be quite honest, he was a perfect fit.
Philon could once again get him at a discount due to his knee injury late in the season last year. Philon’s impact may not have necessarily been seen on his stat sheet but Crosby and Ngakoue do owe him some thanks for their stellar season.
Due to a combination of being in a rotation with Thomas and Jefferson and probably still knocking off some on-field rust after being held out of the NFL the year prior, Philon only played a little less than 300 snaps in 2021.
However, he was still really disruptive not only in the passing game but also blowing up runs and either getting the tackle or allowing his teammates to get a tackle. Philon was really coming on toward the end of the season before his injury and for sure deserves another shot to make his presence felt even more.