The Las Vegas Raiders are in a bit of a difficult situation as it pertains to defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The former first-round pick signed a four-year, $110 million deal with Las Vegas in 2024, but a broken foot suffered in Week 5 last year has put his status in jeopardy for this season as well.
Wilkins missed the entire offseason program, and was recently spotted back in a walking boot. It is increasingly unlikely that he will be available for training camp, and if he needs another procedure done, he could miss the entire 2025 campaign.
General manager John Spytek re-signed fellow defensive tackle Adam Butler this offseason, which was a major move. He also drafted J.J. Pegues and Tonka Hemingway in the middle rounds to bolster the depth, but the team needs a surefire starter alongside Butler to reach its potential this year.
Raiders should trade Browns for veteran DT Shelby Harris
This late in the offseason, almost every solid free agent has already signed with another team. It is too late to mortgage a high draft pick on a defensive tackle, but the Raiders can take advantage of another team that did.
In April's draft, the Cleveland Browns utilized the No. 5 overall pick on Michigan defensive tackle Mason Graham. With Graham expected to start right away, veteran Shelby Harris has now moved into a backup role, and Las Vegas could likely get him in a trade for incredibly cheap.
If Harris' name sounds familiar, that would be because he was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL Draft and played two seasons with the franchise. While he did not pan out with the Silver and Black, he has put together an admirable 10-year career.
RELATED: Raiders should sign these 3 players ASAP after grim Christian Wilkins update
Trading for Harris would likely cost just a seventh-rounder, and he could even be released by the team later this offseason if Graham really emerges as an every-down player. Harris is experienced enough, and played a season for Pete Carroll on the Seahawks in 2022, so a late arrival may not hinder him.
Over the last two seasons with the Browns, Harris has played in 31 games and recorded 65 tackles, including 11 for a loss, as well as 3.0 sacks, seven passes defended and two forced fumbles. These may not be superstar numbers, but he can more than get the job done in 2025.
Pro Football Focus also gave Harris an overall grade of 66.7 in 2024, which ranked 44th out of 219 qualifying defensive tackles. His pass-rush grade of 67.9 also ranked 25th in this group.
It is very possible that Wilkins is healthy for the season, or that the new regime feels that they can rely on players like Leki Fotu, Jonah Laulu and Zachary Carter for production this season. However, Harris would be both a cheap and familiar option for the team, and it would give him a second chance with the Silver and Black.