The Las Vegas Raiders invested $110 million into defensive tackle Christian Wilkins last offseason, and thus far, his tenure with the Silver and Black has been disappointing. He was dominant for the Raiders when he played in 2024, but his problem has been staying on the field.
After breaking his foot in Week 5, Wilkins never returned to the lineup last year for Las Vegas. He reportedly suffered multiple setbacks in his recovery process, so he also missed the entire offseason program this year under new head coach Pete Carroll.
On Friday, Raider Nation received another disappointing update when the team announced that Wilkins would begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. This means that he is out to start training camp, but can return to the field at any point.
Christian Wilkins allegedly spotted not wearing a walking boot
It seems like all offseason, the fan base has been getting hit with negative updates after negative updates as it pertains to Wilkins and his road to recovery. Carroll even painted a grim picture of Wilkins' rehabilitation process when speaking to the media last month.
However, a seemingly positive piece of news about Wilkins has surfaced. The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Adam Hill captured a video from wide receiver Alex Bachman's Instagram story on Saturday that showed Wilkins dancing around in the team facility without his walking boot.
Just a few days out from training camp and a certain injured Raiders defensive lineman is moving around pretty well in the weight room. Solid @backstreetboys tribute by Christian Wilkins on @AlexBachman 's IG story yesterday. pic.twitter.com/ZkJiMV8kE4
— Adam Hill (@AdamHillLVRJ) July 21, 2025
Dancing around without your pads on is a far cry from being ready to play in an NFL game, or even a live practice. But this is absolutely better than seeing Wilkins in a walking boot at a charity golf event like the fan base did last month.
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Plus, Wilkins seems to be moving around well, even if it is just a short clip in a non-football setting. Progress is progress, and if he is not required to wear the walking boot, that is just another step toward playing, even if it is a small one.
Wilkins' return is highly anticipated by the team, the fan base and those around the league. He is the missing piece to the Raiders' defensive line, and it should be a spectacle to see him getting after opposing offenses alongside Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and Adam Butler.
Patience will still be paramount for Wilkins, as there are still over six weeks until the Raiders open up their season. However, getting acclimated to the new culture and team in Las Vegas is important as well, so Wilkins also cannot get back to practice soon enough.