The Las Vegas Raiders had the most highly anticipated defensive line group in the league before last season. With stud edge rusher Maxx Crosby, an emerging star in Malcolm Koonce and a second-year leap expected from Tyree Wilson, the unit had multiple avenues to hurting opposing offensive lines.
Coveted defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was also added to the mix during free agency. His $110 million contract meant that he was going to be a featured player in this group, and that the team was banking on high production from him.
Unfortunately, this unit was dead on arrival, as Koonce tore his ACL before the 2024 season opener and Wilkins suffered a broken foot within the first weeks. Koonce is seemingly on track to return next season at full force, and early reports indicated that Wilkins was as well.
Christian Wilkins' injury is still shrouded in mystery
However, the tides have shifted dramatically. Reports came pouring in before the draft that Wilkins had endured a setback in his recovery process, but most believed that this was a smoke screen meant to throw off other teams. However, The Athletic's Tashan Reed reported that there was merit to these rumblings.
"His injured foot was placed in a walking boot, but he was out of it by the end of the season. Then, earlier this offseason, his foot was placed back in a boot, according to team sources," Reed wrote. "He was back out of the boot during OTA workouts recently, but the back-and-forth has raised questions about his recovery process. The Raiders have stayed quiet about Wilkins. Whether he’s at practice or not — and what he’s able to do if he’s there — will provide more clarity."
The team choosing to stay quiet about Wilkins is a bit worrisome, and lends some to believe that there may be some concerns behind the scenes.
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If all was well with him, there would be no need for his recovery process to be obscured in secrecy. However, Reed's report confirms that there was a snag with Wilkins' rehab, and that is less than ideal.
New general manager John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll have already proven that they are willing to play the game and throw off other NFL franchises with bogus reports to get an upper hand. This is what the best teams do, and hopefully, that is the case here.
Raider Nation will surely be holding their breath until they see Wilkins in uniform again. If he can return to his 2023 form, then Las Vegas should have one of the best defensive lines in the league. However, if his tenure with the Silver and Black continues to be marked by mystery and injury concerns, it will be a disappointing chapter for Wilkins, as well as another tough blow for the fan base.