The Las Vegas Raiders made their first move of the 2025 NFL offseason on Tuesday, signing wide receiver Kyle Phillips.
Phillips spent the 2024 season on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad. He was a fifth-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2022 and in two seasons registered 23 receptions for 259 yards.
Per the Raiders, "Philips spent four seasons at UCLA, where he played in 34 games with 23 starts and totaled 163 receptions for 1,821 yards and 17 touchdowns in addition to 25 punt returns for 496 yards (19.8 avg.) with two touchdowns."
That Phillips is coming from a winning franchise like the Eagles is a good sign. NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote of Phillips in a draft report, "Slot receiver with limited range but above-average potential as a punt-return option. Philips has the foot quickness to elude press and uncover underneath but his effectiveness wanes over the second and third levels.
"He needs to improve his route efficiency to prove he can separate from nickel corners in the pros and must improve as a hands-catcher. Philips' talent to create for himself and his team as a return man gives him a shot to make a club."
Pro Football Network's James Fragoza highlighted the former Bruins standout's ability as an aggressive wide receiver.
"Philips attacks angles viciously to get corners to bite. He employs head fakes, hip pointing, and doesn’t allow DBs to 'slip the hip' by moving upfield before catching the pass," wrote Fragoza. "When he faces man coverage, he gets his CB to flip his hips one way and immediately targets their backside.
"Against off coverage, Philips held defenders with eye candy, perfectly timing his route with the QB to catch the easy completion. He understands leverage and possesses the spatial awareness to flow to open zones. At the line of scrimmage, he utilizes his lightning-quick feet with deadly effect. Philips hardly faced press in college, but when he did — and at Shrine Bowl 1-on-1s — he beat DBs with rapid pace they couldn’t match."
New GM John Spytek and coach Pete Carroll must have seen something special in Phillips, as they are selective of those they want to bring into the locker room.
