Just one year ago the Las Vegas Raiders made a considerable splash in free agency under then-general manager Tom Telesco and head coach Antonio Pierce with the signing of Christian Wilkins. Fast forward to 2025, and what a difference a year makes.
Wilkins only lasted five games during the 2024 NFL season and Raider Nation never got to experience the full wrath that he and Maxx Crosby would produce together.
This offseason, he has been missing from the team's workouts as his foot doesn't appear to be healing correctly. New head coach Pete Carroll admitted that he has no set timeline for his return.
Should the Raiders trade or cut ties with Christian Wilkins?
A lack of progress has been discouraging for both the franchise and fan base, and Wilkins will already be 30 years old in December. His dead cap hit would be $18 million this season if John Spytek and company decide he is a lost cause, and the Raiders would take on $29.8 million in 2026.
Releasing Wilkins would certainly be a mistake, but it may not be earth-shattering. The Raiders drafted two defensive tackles in the 2025 NFL Draft, Tonka Hemingway and J.J. Pegues, so they were at least prepared for what is happening now.
The new regime also seems to believe in veteran Adam Butler, and they just upgraded the front seven by signing Germaine Pratt. A healthy Wilkins would improve the entire defense, and maybe even make this an upper-tier unit. Besides, the free agent market is scarce at the moment with Raekwon Davis being the best player available at the position.
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Waiting for another player like Pratt to get released could be the way to go, but there is no guarantee that any solid players will be available. The team would likely have to wait until training camp to get an answer on this front.
The Raiders passed on a defensive tackle-heavy free agency with the likes of Jonathan Allen, Grady Jarrett and Milton Williams in March, and Michigan's Mason Graham went one pick before them in the draft. So far, those decisions haven't penalized Las Vegas, but they could come back to bite them eventually.
Trading Wilkins would be difficult because he probably wouldn't pass a physical at this point. However, assuming he did, the Silver and Black could target Wilkins' old team, the Miami Dolphins, in a deal for Jalen Ramsey, or they could call the Washington Commanders for Terry McLaurin.
Unfortunately, getting a mid-round draft pick might be the going rate for an aging, injured superstar. Another option could be to move Tyree Wilson inside until Wilkins is fully healthy, as Wilson is the type of player who could thrive under a coach like Pete Carroll. In the meantime, the only thing to do is let Wilkins heal until he is fully ready to be unleashed.