Raiders insider provides update on injured DT Christian Wilkins

Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is an important piece on the Las Vegas Raiders defense, but an injury ended his season early in 2024.

It appears Wilkins' comeback is taking longer than expected, and that is bad news for the franchise.

As The Athletic's Tashan Reed reported on Monday, Wilkins is back in a walking boot, according to team sources. That is not good considering the Raiders hoped to have him back by training camp, but the team is mum on Wilkins' recovery, Reed said.

"His injured foot was placed in a walking boot, but he was out of it by the end of the season," Reed wrote. "Then, earlier this offseason, his foot was placed back in a boot. He was back out of the boot during OTA workouts recently, but the back-and-forth has raised questions about his recovery process."

Before Reed's report, Sportskeeda consulting editor and NFL Draft analyst Tony Pauline said two weeks ago that Willkins "may need another procedure" on his foot. 

Whether or not Wilkins misses time during the 2025 season, it is still a big blow that the Raiders could be without their star tackle, possibly for training camp under new head coach Pete Carroll and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. 

The Raiders signed Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million contract before the start of the 2024 NFL season, in hopes of giving star pass-rusher Maxx Crosby help and bringing consistency over from the Dolphins. Wilkins had been relatively healthy, playing 17 games in each season from 2021 to 2023. 

Last season, Wilkins only played five games and had 17 tackles and two sacks before being placed on injured reserve. 

The Raiders can only hope that Wilkins is a fast healer and will be ready to go in the 2025 NFL season. If he is not available, it could be a long year for the defense.