Latest news with #TomTelesco
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raiders Insider Provides Key Details About Christian Wilkins' Injury Status
Raiders Insider Provides Key Details About Christian Wilkins' Injury Status originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Las Vegas Raiders invested $110 million over the next four seasons in defensive tackle Christian Wilkins last offseason. Then-general manager Tom Telesco made the veteran defender a priority in free agency, but he only played five games in 2024. Advertisement This offseason, Wilkins has yet to participate in the team's voluntary or mandatory workouts as he still recovers from the broken foot he suffered in Week 5, which kept him out for the remainder of last season. Wilkins was recently spotted in a walking boot again, which caused Raider Nation to worry about his status both for training camp and the upcoming season. Las Vegas Raiders DT Christian Wilkins (94).© Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images While there are no details yet about his updated recovery timeline, the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore provided key details about Wilkins' initial injury on Thursday's episode of the "Vegas Nation" podcast. "So that [initial] injury, come to find out, he hurt himself earlier in the game and he played through it," Bonsignore said. "He played through it until they said, 'You got to come off the field. No more.'" Advertisement Playing through an injury is not great for the long-term health of a player, but it appears that the Raiders stepped in before things got too much worse. "He gets the surgery the very next day. Literally, the very next day, which is kind of unusual. ... Come to the end of the season, he was on target to come back,' Bonsignore said. "It was basically a clear path for him to be ready for OTAs, minicamp, all of those things.' This news means that Wilkins must have suffered a setback along the way that kept him out of the Raiders' offseason program. Bonsignore confirmed this later in his statement. 'Obviously, he suffered a setback. ... The original injury was an 8-12 week injury recovery,' Bonsignore said. "He could have re-broken the original injury, or there's usually a screw that's inserted for this type of injury, that could have broken. In either case, it still remains an 8-12 week rehab.' Advertisement While the details about when exactly the Raiders can expect him to return to the lineup are a bit murky, it is at least clear now how things unfolded the way that they did initially. Related: AFC West Rival Listed as Destination for Raiders' Former No. 4 Overall Pick Related: Brock Bowers Sends Strong Message on Raiders Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
27-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raiders Receive Brutal Update on $110 Million Star
Raiders Receive Brutal Update on $110 Million Star originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Las Vegas Raiders have largely struggled in recent years due to their inability to draft effectively. However, poor decisions in free agency have also plagued the franchise. Advertisement Last offseason, it seemed like things took a turn under general manager Tom Telesco, as he signed durable defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million deal. Finally, the team seemingly had a star interior defender with no known limitations. Unfortunately, Wilkins broke his foot in Week 5 against the Denver Broncos and did not return to the field in 2024. The same injury kept him out of the team's entire offseason program this spring under new head coach Pete Carroll as well. Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94).Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images While conflicting reports piled in about exactly where Wilkins stood in the recovery process, Carroll admitted to the media that a difficult road was ahead for the six-year veteran. Advertisement On Tuesday, however, The Athletic's Tashan Reed provided an update about Wilkins' injury, and it was a brutal blow for the Raiders. "#Raiders DT Christian Wilkins is back in a walking boot (he was in attendance at Kyle Van Voy's charity golf challenge yesterday)," Reed wrote. "It's the same foot where he suffered a Jones Fracture last October." Wilkins being in a boot in late June puts his status for training camp, and even the regular season, in jeopardy. Regardless, he will be behind his peers as he attempts to learn a new system without having on-field reps during OTAs or mandatory minicamp. In 2024, Wilkins recorded 17 tackles, including two for a loss, as well as 2.0 sacks in just five games. The Raiders re-signed veteran Adam Butler this offseason, added Leki Fotu in free agency, and grabbed J.J. Pegues and Tonka Hemingway in the draft. Advertisement Any combination of these players may need to be leaned on by Las Vegas as they sort through Wilkins' injury situation in its entirety. Related: Raiders Land Better Madden NFL 26 Team Rating Than AFC West Rival Related: Pete Carroll Names Biggest Reason Why He Came Out of Retirement to Join Raiders This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Raiders' OL Reveals Significant Offseason Change at OTAs
Raiders' OL Reveals Significant Offseason Change at OTAs originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Las Vegas Raiders failed to gain any traction during the 2024 NFL season. While injuries certainly did not help, poor coaching by Antonio Pierce and bad personnel decisions by general manager Tom Telesco were responsible for the team's four-win campaign as well. Advertisement Ever since being fired in January, Telesco has been dragged by Raiders fans for the addition of quarterback Gardner Minshew and the failure to re-sign 2022 First-Team All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs, However, Telesco made three great selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. This netted Las Vegas First-Team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, All-Rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson and starting right tackle DJ Glaze. Las Vegas Raiders OL Jackson Powers-Johnson (58).Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Powers-Johnson overcame a slew of preseason injuries and was a solid starter for the Raiders at both guard and center last season. Now, the new regime in Las Vegas plans to play him exclusively at center. Advertisement He spoke to the media last week after an OTA workout and revealed that he made a significant change this offseason. "I've really hammered down a routine. I've lost 10 to 15 pounds," Powers-Johnson said. "I'm faster, I'm stronger, I'm getting a lot better at technique. ... I think I'm going to make a great jump. I'm going to give it as best as I got and have some fun." During his senior season at Oregon, Powers-Johnson won the Rimington Trophy. This is given annually to the best center in college football, so his position change makes sense. As a rookie, he gained ample experience as he played 956 snaps in 15 games, 14 of which he started. According to Pro Football Focus, he played 535 at offensive guard and 421 at center, earning an overall grade of 63.9, which ranked in the middle of the pack for interior offensive linemen. Advertisement Powers-Johnson has the ability to become an All-Pro or Pro Bowl-level player for the Silver and Black. He will need to continue growing and improving throughout his NFL career to achieve this, and he is already starting with a major change this offseason. Related: Ashton Jeanty Receives 4-Word Message From Raiders OL Jackson Powers-Johnson Related: Raiders Veteran LB Praises North Carolina Coach Bill Belichick This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Raiders GM Makes Admission About Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix
Former Raiders GM Makes Admission About Jayden Daniels, Bo Nix originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Las Vegas Raiders hired Pete Carroll and John Spytek to lead the franchise this offseason, which marks the third straight year that the team has both a new head coach and general manager. Advertisement Antonio Pierce and Tom Telesco only got one year at the helm of the Silver and Black, and while the results were disastrous, Telesco actually added several solid pieces to the roster. In the first three rounds of the 2024 NFL Draft, he grabbed First-Team All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers, All-Rookie lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson, and starting right tackle DJ Glaze. Unfortunately, Telesco was still fired this offseason after a four-win campaign in 2024. Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix (10) and former Las Vegas Raiders RB Ameer Abdullah (8).Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Many wanted the Raiders to be aggressive and target a quarterback of the future in last year's draft. Telesco was quite selective, however, which netted them Bowers in the first round and no young signal-callers to show for it. Advertisement His failure to grab a quarterback was not entirely in his control, however. Telesco was featured on an episode of "Check the Mic" on Thursday, and he talked about both Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix. 'Other than Jayden Daniels, (trading up for a QB) was a non-starter," Telesco said. "Bo Nix, his background of work, his durability, his movement skills, that would've been a good possibility (at 13)." Unfortunately, the Raiders' roster was not in a position to trade up for Daniels, and the Commanders did not want to move back anyway. Nix also came off the board just one pick ahead of Las Vegas, when their AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos, selected him at No. 12 overall. Both players had strong rookie seasons, as Daniels led the Commanders to the NFC Championship Game and won the 2025 NFL Rookie of the Year Award. Nix also led the Broncos to 10 wins and finished third in the Rookie of the Year award voting, behind Daniels and Bowers. Advertisement Ultimately, this is water under the bridge considering Telesco is now out of a job and there is a new regime in place in Las Vegas. However, Raider Nation cannot help but imagine what could have been if things went a bit differently in the 2024 NFL Draft. Related: Pete Carroll's Behavior at Raiders OTAs Turns Heads Related: Ashton Jeanty Receives 4-Word Message From Raiders OL Jackson Powers-Johnson This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
