Quinton Jefferson of the New York Jets reacts after sacking Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at MetLife Stadium.
Christian Wilkins is still in a walking boot, after playing just five games in his first season with the Las Vegas Raiders.
So the Raiders may need to call on an old friend in case Wilkins isn’t going to be ready in time.
Las Vegas is being urged to sign Quinton Jefferson, a journeyman defensive tackle with ties to both the Raiders and coach Pete Carroll.
Jefferson is a free agent but has played nine NFL seasons with six different teams. He split his 2024 season between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills and played two postseason games for Buffalo.
Why Are The Raiders Linked To Quinton Jefferson?
With Wilkins on the shelf during OTAs and mandatory minicamp, Jefferson wasn’t the only name mentioned as a potential Wilkins replacement. But he is the one with the best tie to the Raiders.
Carroll drafted him with the Seahawks in the fifth round in 2016, which started his two-stint tenure with the veteran coach in the Pacific Northwest. Jefferson played his first four seasons in Seattle then also played for Carroll in 2022.
Between tours in Seattle, Jefferson also played in Buffalo and the Raiders, for whom he played 17 games and had four-and-a-half sacks in 2021. Jefferson had a career-high 47 tackles for the Raiders that year then added one sack and three tackles in their playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
“He has notable ties that fortify his fit as an option to replace Wilkins,” Brad Berreman wrote for the FanSided Raiders site “Just Blog Baby.” “Jefferson split last season between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, totaling 254 defensive snaps. But he’s not far removed from a six-sack season with the New York Jets in 2023, and for a big chunk of his career, he has been a productive pass rusher.”
Jefferson also seems to be a mainstay in the playoffs, since he has played 10 postseason games over six playoff seasons in his career.
Who Else Could The Raiders Sign?
Even though training camp is right around the corner, there still are free agent defensive linemen looking for jobs.
Berreman cited Linval Joseph and Austin Johnson as fellow free agents who could be in line for a role with the Raiders if Wilkins continues to be unable to participate.
Like Jefferson, Johnson has ties to a Raiders coach, since he played under Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham as a member of the New York Giants in 2020 and 2021. That familiarity, and his veteran nature, would lend itself, especially if his role was temporary.
“Graham seemingly found the way to get Johnson’s best play out of him,” Berreman wrote. “Graham can sell the idea that he was able to put Johnson in a position to produce like no other NFL coach has.”
Joseph will turn 37 on Oct 10, and if he signs with a team in 2025, this will be his 16th NFL season. He would be by far the oldest player on the Raiders if he signed with them.
But Joseph is coming off a solid season with the Cowboys last year.
“He was effective in a part-time role for the Dallas Cowboys last season. He registered 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble with a pass rushing grade of 77.5 from Pro Football Focus,” Berreman wrote. “That mark would’ve been 12th-best among defensive tackles if he had played enough snaps to qualify.
“His best days are clearly in the rearview mirror, but he still has something to offer in the right role.”
