Christian Wilkins on Injured List as Raiders Begin Training Camp

Las Vegas, Nevada – Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has been placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as the Raiders begin training camp. This decision follows his season-ending foot surgery in 2024, and it is still unclear when he will be able to return to the field.

Wilkins, 29, is a critical player for the Raiders’ defense, expected to help anchor the front alongside edge rusher Maxx Crosby. However, he was recently seen wearing a walking boot, indicating a lengthy recovery process as he heads into 2025.

Head coach Pete Carroll spoke about Wilkins’ situation on July 22. “It’s still uncertain,” he said during his press conference. “We sort of have to wait it out.”

Wilkins, who previously starred at Clemson, is recovering from a broken foot sustained in Week 5 of the 2024 season. He underwent surgery for a Jones fracture and was placed on injured reserve last October. In late May, Carroll noted Wilkins was still on the road to recovery.

In late June, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed observed Wilkins wearing a walking boot while attending a charity golf event hosted by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy. NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport mentioned on July 20 that Wilkins has been “making sound progress recently.”

Additionally, a video shared by Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter Adam Hill showed Wilkins dancing in the Raiders’ weight room without his walking boot, suggesting positive signs in his recovery.

Wilkins signed a four-year, $110 million contract with the Raiders last offseason, making him the second-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL. Last season, he recorded 17 tackles, including two for loss, two sacks, and six quarterback hits over five games before his injury.

A first-round pick in the 2019 draft, Wilkins spent his first five NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins, accumulating 355 tackles, 20.5 sacks, and 43 tackles for loss in 81 career games.