There has been a lot of speculation this offseason about defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and his recovery from the broken foot that shortened his first season as a Las Vegas Raider. He sat out the entirety of OTAs and minicamp this spring, prompting a bit of panic from the fan base.
The Raiders have done a good job, as expected, of keeping anything concrete about Wilkins from being leaked, as even well-sourced team reporters haven't been able to fully pin the situation down. But with training camp roughly one month away, if Wilkins is unable to participate, there will be no more hiding the concern about his availability.
On Tuesday, Tashan Reed of The Athletic posted a photo of Wilkins at a charity golf event put on by NFL linebacker Kyle Van Noy. Wilkins is clearly in a walking boot again, and while it could be somewhat precautionary, it's undeniably bad news and invites thoughts of a worst-case scenario.
#Raiders DT Christian Wilkins is back in a walking boot (he was in attendance at Kyle Van Voy's charity golf challenge yesterday). It's the same foot where he suffered a Jones Fracture last October. pic.twitter.com/Uyro8XWUrD
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) June 24, 2025
Here in June, of course, the list of available free agent options at any position is far from robust. The Raiders also have the defensive tackle depth to cover for Wilkins' seemingly inevitable absence, however long it might be.
That said, the Raiders will tell us exactly where Wilkins is health-wise if or when they make a move to add a defensive tackle. On the free agent front, here are three options who could be on the radar.
3 free agent defensive tackles the Raiders could sign as Christian Wilkins insurance
3. Austin Johnson
Johnson has mostly been a rotational player over his nine-year career, including last year with the Buffalo Bills, where he played in 15 games, but only started one and recorded 306 defensive snaps. However, he started all 17 games for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023, and he did the same for the New York Giants two seasons prior to that.
Johnson also had career-highs with 3.5 sacks, 72 total tackles and 664 defensive snaps played during the 2021 season in New York under current Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Graham seemingly found the way to get Johnson's best play out of him.
As far as options to replace Wilkins go, familiarity with Raiders coaches stands to play a big role in who is brought in. Graham can sell the idea that he was able to put Johnson in a position to produce like no other NFL coach has.
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2. Linval Joseph
Joseph is up there in age at 36 years old, but he was effective in a part-time role for the Dallas Cowboys last season. He registered 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble with a pass rushing grade of 77.5 from Pro Football Focus. That mark would've been 12th-best among defensive tackles if he had played enough snaps to qualify.
His best days are clearly in the rearview mirror, but he still has something to offer in the right role. The Raiders should see possibilities here as they survey possible options to cover for Wilkins' absence.
1. Quinton Jefferson
Jefferson split last season between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, totaling 254 defensive snaps. But he's not far removed from a 6.0-sack season with the New York Jets in 2023, and for a big chunk of his career, he has been a productive pass rusher.
He has notable ties that fortify his fit as an option to replace Wilkins. Jefferson played five seasons for Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks, and he played for the Raiders during the 2021 season.
Maxx Crosby spoke highly of Jefferson's presence on the Raiders' defensive line when looking back on that 2021 season. An endorsement like this goes a long way, and Jefferson is likely the team's best option at this point anyway.
Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Bullard, Taven Bryan, Raekwon Davis