Did Raiders GM Tom Telesco Commit Blunder With Christian Wilkins Signing?

It’s always easy to critique an NFL signing in hindsight; everyone does it. However, did Las Vegas Raiders general manager Tom Telesco repeat his mistakes from his Los Angeles Chargers days with the signing of Christian Wilkins?

The Raiders believed that the arrival of a dominant defensive tackle would finally provide Maxx Crosby with a running mate. Together with a group of young pass rushers, they were expected to wreak havoc on the AFC West. Instead, it turned into a doomed scenario.

What do we make of Raiders GM Tom Telesco?

Telesco’s first offseason is a divisive topic among Raider Nation. While he deserves recognition for his first draft class, his free agency options were disappointing. Wilkins’ signing was arguably his biggest move—oh, and of course, Gardner Minshew. It’s safe to say that neither transaction panned out for the Silver and Black.

As the Raiders prepare for their Week 18 duel with Telesco’s old team this Sunday, it’s fascinating to note the trajectory of both organizations following Telesco’s “switch.” The Chargers, led by the duo of Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz, quickly turned things around and are back in the playoffs.

Back in Las Vegas, Telesco is staring at another top draft pick with lots of cap space. However, some Raiders supporters aren’t exactly overjoyed about this development. As we witnessed last offseason, a single high-profile “sexy” signing is insufficient for a team that lacks depth in all areas, regardless of Raider Nation’s expectations.

No matter how you slice it, this squad wasn’t a “quarterback away.” Looking back, Telesco’s irresponsibility in ignoring multiple positions and expecting the team to stay afloat was evident. Just observe the disintegration of the roster following the devastating impact of injuries.

Now, this is not intended as a criticism of Wilkins. He had a notable run in Miami and was worthy of a payday. Unfortunately, it shouldn’t have been the Raiders nor Telesco who signed that check. Let’s be real here: after playing just five games, Wilkins fell short of expectations and certainly his contract. Because of his injury, he simply wasn’t going to live up to expectations. In contrast, Teair Tart provided more production for Telesco’s former team at a fraction of Wilkins’ cost to the Raiders, as Jason Reed of Bolt Beat recently pointed out. As you can see, we must question Telesco’s roster-building methods.

Wilkins, approaching 30, faces the possibility of a decline in his performance, while the Raiders will bear the consequences. If the previous offseason serves as a guide, there should be warning signs for this year—perhaps a change in leadership with the arrival of minority owner Tom Brady. Undoubtedly, if the Raiders replicate their free agency strategy from last year, they will continue to fall behind the rest of the division.