The Raiders were quiet on the first day of free agency, but they quickly made a splash on Day 2. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the team has signed veteran cornerback Darius Phillips to a one-year deal with just over $2 million.
Cornerback Darius Phillips to the Raiders on a one-year, $2.25-million deal, per source.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 15, 2022
Phillips was a fifth-round pick by the Bengals in the 2018 NFL Draft and has since appeared in 47 games. He’s been a spot starter on defense and a key special teams player he’s helped out as a kick and punt returner. He will turn 27 before the 2022 season begins and does have quite a bit of NFL experience.
His best year in the NFL came during the 2020 season when he started eight games for the Bengals. He totaled 12 pass deflections in 12 games and allowed just 380 yards on 60 targets. While he isn’t likely to be a starter for the Raiders, he certainly hasn’t performed poorly when thrust into the lineup.
This signing certainly doesn’t take them out of the cornerback market as this was simply a depth signing. Phillips will likely compete with Amik Robertson for the No. 4 cornerback job and special teams duties.
Look for the Raiders to continue to add to their secondary over the next few days.
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