Gus Bradley has already imported two members from his 2021 Las Vegas defense, Yannick Ngakoue and Brandon Facyson. The new Colts defensive coordinator has his eye on another ex-Raider.
Darius Philon met with the Colts on Wednesday, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. A Raider last season, Philon played for Bradley during the veteran defensive coordinator’s time with the Chargers as well. The Raiders also met with Philon recently.
These meetings double as medical checkups for Philon, who suffered a torn patellar tendon in Week 18 last season. The 28-year-old interior defensive lineman was out of football during the 2019 and ’20 seasons, but he bounced back under Bradley in Vegas. The four-year Chargers contributor registered two sacks and five tackles for loss during his Raiders campaign.
The Colts could use some depth behind D-tackle starters DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart, and Philon would not be a pricey addition — especially considering the severe knee injury he sustained in January. The Philon visit is also interesting due to the Colts’ recent re-signing of defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis, who suffered a patellar tendon tear in October. Patellar tendon tears represent a difficult injury to surmount, so it would obviously be notable if the Colts rostered two D-linemen traveling this comeback route.