‘We took a long time to make our decision’: Coach says Raiders didn’t rush decision to release star defender

Raiders coach Pete Carroll stated on Friday that the team did not make a snap decision to cut defensive tackle Christian Wilkins the previous day due to a disagreement over his recuperation from a broken foot.

Carroll stated, “We took a long time to make our decision.” We navigated the entire thing by watching. With our words, we’re being quite clear. I believe there was no obvious way to get him back, so we had to go on.

He made remarks that mostly mirrored the Las Vegas group’s Thursday statement. With an exceptionally forceful statement, the Raiders didn’t mince words when they said that Wilkins had not offered a clear strategy or route for a future comeback to the field.

Before training camp began on Wednesday, Wilkins was placed on the physically unable to perform list due to an injury he sustained in Week 5 of the previous season and a setback in his recuperation that prevented him from participating in offseason activities.

Last year, the Raiders signed Wilkins, a 29-year-old free agent, to a four-year, $110 million contract that included a guaranteed $82.75 million. According to reports, the Raiders are nullifying the remaining $35.25 million of Wilkins’ contract.

According to someone with knowledge of the matter, Wilkins has lodged a grievance with the NFL Players Association. Due to the delicate nature of the subject, the individual talked to The Associated Press under the condition of anonymity.

Even if the Raiders prevail in the grievance, they will still be subject to a $29.8 million dead-salary cap.

Jonah Laulu and Adam Butler ran first team at tackle this week in practice since Wilkins was off the roster. Last season, Butler started 16 games and recorded 65 tackles, eight for loss, and five sacks. As a rookie, Laulu started seven games and recorded 35 tackles, including three for loss and a sack. All 17 games featured both players.

Carroll remarked, “This place is about competition.” It was and always has been. It’s completely open. I will not discuss any names at this time. We are giving everyone an opportunity if you pay attention to the rotations. Throughout, we are combining the starts and backups in order to collect a lot of data.

Wilkins was recruited to Las Vegas to give a defensive line that already features pass rushers Malcolm Koonce and Maxx Crosby an even more formidable presence. Along with his exceptional run-stopping skills, he recorded a career-high nine sacks in 2023 while playing for Miami.

Despite Crosby and Koonce returning to practice, the three linemen’s season-ending injuries dealt a serious blow to the prospects of assembling one of the NFL’s most formidable defensive lines. On Friday, as the squad proceeded to practice without padding, Crosby was almost impossible to block.

Before sustaining a foot injury that necessitated surgery, Wilkins recorded two sacks and 17 tackles in five games. He sustained a Jones fracture, which is a break in the bone that runs from the base of the foot to the pinkie toe.

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