Las Vegas Raiders star defender Christian Wilkins has been ruled out for the rest of the Week 5 game due to a foot injury, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter/X.
Wilkins will not return for the second half after sustaining the injury late in the second quarter. He finished the game with five tackles (four solo) and one sack. The Denver Broncos currently lead the Raiders 20-10.
Adam Butler will take over in Wilkins’ absence, joining John Jenkins on the depth chart. This is a significant loss for the Raiders, who have struggled even with Wilkins in the lineup. Currently, the Raiders rank 24th in points allowed per game (24.3), 20th in yards allowed per game (344.3), 24th in yards per play (5.6), 17th in red zone defense (57.1 percent), and 19th in touchdowns allowed per game (2.5).
Wilkins, 28, joined the Raiders this offseason on a four-year, $110 million contract, with $84.75 million guaranteed, after spending his first five seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He was the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and accumulated 355 total tackles, 43 tackles for loss, 50 quarterback hits, one interception, 19 passes defended, four forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries during his time in Miami.
Before his NFL career, Wilkins had a standout college career at Clemson, winning two national championships and earning multiple accolades, including the Williams V. Campbell Trophy and unanimous All-American honors.
It’s unclear how severe Wilkins’ injury is or how long he might be sidelined, but any absence is concerning, especially given the Raiders’ struggles with injuries this season. The team hopes he can return for their next game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at home.