The Las Vegas Raiders had high expectations last season under head coach Antonio Pierce. After narrowly missing the playoffs in 2023, the team added competition at quarterback and bolstered its defensive front with a major signing before the 2024 campaign.
Obviously, the season went haywire for the Silver and Black because of poor offensive play, but the defense was also plagued by injuries as well. Edge rusher Malcolm Koonce missed the entire season with a torn ACL, Christian Wilkins sat out after Week 5 with a broken foot, and even the durable Maxx Crosby missed five games.
While Crosby is already full-go at Raiders OTAs, Koonce has also been ahead of schedule with his recovery. However, Wilkins has suffered a handful of setbacks during his process, casting some doubt on whether or not he'll be ready for Week 1.
PFF's defensive tackle rankings prove why Christian Wilkins needs to get healthy
Since it is the peak of the NFL offseason, Pro Football Focus has been rolling out its positional rankings. Writer Trevor Sikkema recently released his list of the top 32 interior defensive linemen, and Wilkins landed at No. 10.
"Wilkins was Las Vegas’ high-priced free-agent addition along the defensive line last offseason, but he played just 246 snaps in 2024," Sikkema wrote. "Still, his 0.68 PFF WAR over the past three years ranks 11th best among interior defenders. Wilkins has earned PFF run-defense grades above 78.0 in three of his past four seasons."
When healthy, Wilkins is one of the most dominant players in the league, and potentially even better than this ranking indicates. His health is the question, however, not his talent. Wilkins is the key to unlocking the potential of this defense, and him missing more time would be a major blow.
RELATED: Raiders' Maxx Crosby slighted in latest PFF edge rusher rankings
Crosby is always regarded as one of the best players in the NFL, but the surrounding talent on the Raiders' defense is certainly in question. Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham needs a Robin to his Batman, but Las Vegas has no linebackers or cornerbacks that landed in the top 32 of PFF's rankings. Wilkins simply has to step up alongside Crosby for the $110 million investment to be worth it.
While Raider Nation is excited about the return of Malcolm Koonce, and Tyree Wilson could be primed to make a leap in his third year, both of these players' breakouts could be helped greatly by the return of Wilkins. Adam Butler is a solid veteran, but the rest of the room is young and unproven.
If Wilkins is able to return by the start of the year, and stay healthy, this could be a top 10 defensive line. Wilkins' availability not only provides Crosby with a top running mate, but also allows the younger guys more favorable match ups. If Wilkins is gone, however, it could be tough sledding for Crosby and what most would consider a skeleton crew behind him.