It was supposed to be a routine injury update, just another offseason tidbit in a long NFL summer. But Monday’s announcement sent shockwaves through the league—Las Vegas Raiders star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has been placed on the PUP list with a foot injury, and San Francisco 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk is also sidelined with a knee issue. On the surface, it’s just training camp. But dig a little deeper, and the implications may be far more serious than teams are letting on.
Starting with Wilkins—his arrival in Las Vegas was one of the Raiders’ splashiest moves this offseason. After years of dominance in Miami, the franchise expected him to be the cornerstone of a revamped defense that desperately needs toughness up front. But that plan is already in jeopardy. The Raiders didn’t disclose the full extent of the injury, calling it “minor,” but sources close to the team suggest that Wilkins is still dealing with plantar fascia pain that dates back to the end of last season.
Without him, the defensive interior becomes dangerously thin. The depth chart behind Wilkins—players like Byron Young and Nesta Jade Silvera—are talented but raw. Facing a division with Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes, losing a game-wrecking force in the middle could doom the Raiders’ chances before they even get started.
And just as that shock began to settle, word dropped from Santa Clara—Brandon Aiyuk, the 49ers’ most consistent receiver last season, has a knee issue that has landed him on the PUP list. The official word from Shanahan and company? “Nothing serious.” But NFL insiders are skeptical.
Aiyuk missed time late last season with what was then described as soreness. That same issue now seems to have flared up again. Is it a lingering structural problem? Is this just management being overly cautious with a player they expect to carry the offense? Or is there more to the story that the 49ers aren’t sharing?
The Aiyuk situation becomes even more complex considering his unresolved contract status. The receiver skipped parts of voluntary workouts earlier this year amid whispers of dissatisfaction with his deal. While nothing has gone public, speculation is growing that his injury status may be entangled with the team’s long-term plans for him.
Both teams are spinning their injury situations as “precautionary,” but longtime league observers know better. Preseason PUP list stints this early are usually meant to buy time—and buy silence. And if either player misses extended time, it could derail both franchises’ playoff dreams.
Training camp is supposed to be about optimism. But between foot setbacks, knee soreness, and silent contract battles, fans in Las Vegas and San Francisco are starting to ask the question nobody wants to hear this early: what if the season is already slipping away before it even begins?
And just when things couldn’t get more bizarre, a source close to the medical staff reportedly said something that instantly raised red flags across the league…..