Christian Wilkins injury could push Raiders towards veteran options

When Christian Wilkins signed with the Las Vegas Raiders last offseason on a four-year, $110 million deal, fans believed the former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle was going to be the answer for a defensive line partner with Maxx Crosby.

Unfortunately, Wilkins suffered a foot injury in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos and never returned to the lineup in his first season in Las Vegas. Even more concerning is that, despite being out of a walking boot, Wilkins has yet to participate in OTAs as the offseason continues to ramp up. Until Wilkins returns to action, the Raiders may have to fear that rumors of him suffering a setback in his recovery are true.

While Wilkins is certainly one of the best defensive tackles in the game when healthy, the Raiders may have to look into a backup plan to cover their bases.

A free agent still on the market could be of interest to the Raiders if they start to get concerned about Wilkins.

When looking at potential depth options, the Raiders could look to reunite with a familiar face and sign former Cleveland Browns defensive tackle Maurice Hurst.

“Hurst was drafted by the Raiders in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and he spent three seasons with the franchise. He got off to a hot start in his NFL career, but after a dip in production during the 2020 campaign, the team waived him during the following offseason,” wrote Athlon Sports’ Levi Dombro.

“Last year, Hurst recorded just a 45.3 PFF grade, but he earned a career-high 81.0 nod in 2023. He has earned a grade of 71.0 or higher in five of his six NFL seasons, and he would be a cheap addition at this point in the offseason for Las Vegas.”

At this point of the offseason, Hurst stands as a low-risk addition worth entertaining for the Raiders.

In each of his two seasons with the Browns, Hurst recorded four tackles for loss, so he has still managed to put up some production. While the Raiders did draft Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues in the 2025 NFL Draft, adding another veteran would allow the team to continue their development plan and not force the rookies into a starting role too soon. The team made it work last season with Adam Butler, and Hurst would stand to benefit from another opportunity.

Good players are hard to come by at this stage of the offseason, and bringing Hurst in would allow the Raiders to be proactive before Wilkins’s timeline becomes an issue.