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According to ESPN Insider Adam Caplan, the Indianapolis Colts have signed former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end/outside linebacker Phillip Hunt. Hunt was the only remaining Eagles player on the free agent market.
Hunt, who was a restricted free agent this offseason, did not receive any kind of tender from the Eagles. It even looked like Hunt would have struggled to make the Eagles last summer before he suffered a season-ending ACL injury in training camp that landed him on Philadelphia's Injured Reserve list.
The Eagles originally signed Hunt out of the Canadian Football League back in 2011. Hunt provided thrills and excitement in two straight preseasons but failed to really stick out when it mattered most. In 22 regular season games, Hunt had just 16 tackles and three sacks.
Here's the reaction to the Hunt signing over at Colts SB Nation site Stampede Blue:
Regardless, Hunt was a good signing for the Colts. He has pass rush skills and will provide nice depth and help the Colts out. He too has a long way to go to make the team and beat out Robert Mathis, Bjoern Werner, Erik Walden, and Jonathan Newsome, but there are still spots to be won and, also, Mathis will miss the first four weeks. So the opportunity is much better for a linebacker than it is for a receiver, and I think that's probably the reason behind the move. I like the signing of Phillip Hunt - yet another former Eagles player signed by Colts general manager Ryan Grigson.
Stampede Blue's point about Ryan Grigson is a good one: the former Eagles front office executive isn't shy to keep former Philadelphia players to his roster. The Colts signed former Eagles special teams ace Colt Anderson and safety David Sims this offseason after trading for fullback Stanley Havili last year. Former Eagles 2008 sixth round draft pick Andy Studebaker is also on the Indianapolis roster.
Perhaps Hunt can make something of his new opportunity with the Colts. It was clear he didn't have a future in Philadelphia.