Former Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco invested $110 million in defensive tackle Christian Wilkins last offseason. What looked like a great signing at the time has unfolded in a different way, as the uber-talented Wilkins only played five games last season due to injury.
Wilkins has not returned from his broken foot yet, either, missing the entire offseason program under new head coach Pete Carroll. Despite a recent video surfacing of him out of his walking boot, he was placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list for training camp.
While this is yet another blow to the Raiders' defense, all hope is not lost. The team re-signed Adam Butler last year, who is criminally underrated, and new general manager John Spytek spent two draft picks on promising young defensive tackles.
J.J. Pegues and Tonka Hemingway could have big training camp
In the fourth and sixth rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Raiders selected defensive tackles Tonka Hemingway from South Carolina and J.J. Pegues from Ole Miss. With Wilkins on the PUP list, these two players have a golden opportunity to earn more reps in training camp.
Both of these players have incredible versatility, as Hemingway is considered a tweener between defensive tackle and defensive end at the NFL level. According to Pro Football Focus, he lined up on both sides of the center, as a nose tackle and even as an edge rusher for the Gamecocks in 2024.
Pegues is versatile in a different way. While he lined up all over the defensive line for the 10-win Rebels last season, he also plays offense as a fullback and wildcat quarterback. The former college tight end ran the ball 21 times for 69 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior.
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Hemingway and Pegues will still have to compete with players like Butler, Leki Fotu, Jonah Laulu and Zachary Carter for snaps. But having Wilkins out of the picture should help them acclimate more in the short term, as nothing beats live reps.
Wilkins could very well be back for the season, which means he would eat up a lot of snaps at defensive tackle. However, both of these Day 3 rookies display such immense versatility that head coach Pete Carroll will surely find a way to get them on the field.
It is a new era in Las Vegas, and the team has plenty of fun pieces to move around. Even if Wilkins does not return to form in 2025, the roster is seemingly built to overcome any obstacles and survive for the future.