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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Las Vegas Raiders-Ashton Jeanty press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Apr 25, 2025 Henderson, NV, USA Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll at a news conference introducing Ashton Jeanty as the first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Henderson Intermountain Health Performance Center NV USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCandicexWardx 20250425_jla_wb4_124

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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Las Vegas Raiders-Ashton Jeanty press conference, PK, Pressekonferenz Apr 25, 2025 Henderson, NV, USA Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll at a news conference introducing Ashton Jeanty as the first round draft pick in the 2025 NFL Draft at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Henderson Intermountain Health Performance Center NV USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCandicexWardx 20250425_jla_wb4_124
Back in April, Pete Carroll wasn’t just inheriting a new job; he was inheriting a locker room in recovery. The Raiders’ defense, bruised by injuries and bloated contracts, needed more than just optimism. When Carroll was asked about his early impressions of the unit, his words were as careful as expected: “We’ve got to wait it out.” On the surface, it sounded like typical preseason patience. But underneath, there was tension, quiet choices, internal anger, a blunder waiting to explode.
That explosion came this week, when the Raiders made it official by releasing veteran DT Christian Wilkins, terminating his massive $35.2 million contract. Before the flame had even winked out, Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown added fuel to the blazing fire.
As the news of Christian Wilkins’ release broke, Overshown tweeted ”🔥🔥🔥” to an Adam Schefter tweet announcing the Raiders had scooped up Keondre Coburn from the Titans. For those in the loop, the message was loud and clear.
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— DeMarvion Overshown (@AGENT0__) July 26, 2025
For the uninitiated, Overshown and Coburn are close friends from their time together in Texas. Both were typecast as high-IQ, high-work players, and their friendship was deep. Overshown has established himself well with the Cowboys, posting 90 tackles, 5 sacks, and a pick in 13 games last season. Coburn’s ride has been more turbulent. He accumulated only 20 total stops. When the Raiders signed him, however, Overshown’s reaction wasn’t merely about college loyalty. It was like vindication for both Coburn and all hard-working players who’ve been replaced by marquee names.
And that’s where Wilkins enters the picture. Having signed a five-year, $110 million contract in 2024, the ex-Dolphins All-Pro hardly suited up playing just five games because of a sore foot. The Raiders had put him on the PUP list early in camp. But conflict over his rehab had already reached a fever pitch. As per reports, Wilkins rejected a few medical opinions suggested by the team, and frustration accumulated behind closed doors. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the release came with a “terminated vested veteran” tag that allowed Vegas to recover the remaining portion of his guaranteed salary.
Wilkins is now filing a grievance with the NFLPA, but for the Raiders, the decision reflects Carroll’s long-held mantra: earn your spot or move on. Publicly, the team has stayed relatively quiet. But insiders say Carroll pushed for a culture reboot one centered on availability, reliability, and trust. Signing Coburn, while financially inconsequential, sends a locker-room message: if you’re willing to work, there’s a role for you.
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Pete Carroll’s calculated change of heart after $110M disappointment
The Raiders’ move to release Wilkins was as much about culture as it was about the numbers. Although 11 solo tackles and 2 sacks in 2024 do not come close to justifying $110 million contract. Las Vegas did not overpay; they overestimated personality fit. Wilkins had started 82 of 86 games in his career. But behind the scenes, it was said that his lengthy, contentious rehab process conflicted with Carroll’s standards for effort and commitment.
What’s your perspective on:
Did the Raiders make the right call by choosing culture over Christian Wilkins' star power?
Have an interesting take?

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NFL, American Football Herren, USA Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp Jun 11, 2025 Henderson, NV, USA Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll looks on during Las Vegas Raiders Minicamp at Intermountain Health Performance Center. Henderson Intermountain Health Performance Center NV USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xCandicexWardx 20250611_nts_wb4_0076
Pete Carroll, who constructed his Seahawks teams around toughness and chemistry, wasn’t afraid of making the difficult decisions during his Seattle tenure. Letting go of Wilkins this early in his time in Vegas is a nod to that old-school responsibility. And putting in someone like Coburn, who’s taken fewer NFL snaps than Wilkins has Instagram posts on his recovery, is only making it louder.
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Coburn’s on-court production isn’t flashy: 22 total tackles in two years, no sacks, no forced fumbles. But the Raiders aren’t wagering on box scores; they’re wagering on attitude. Pete Carroll didn’t hold onto Wilkins out of name value, and he didn’t select Coburn in order to pursue headlines. He selected the former sixth-rounder because he embodied the tone the Raiders are attempting to establish: disciplined, low-ego, and reliable. Acquired off waivers from Tennessee, Coburn won’t be torching stat lines. But he’s an open-slate contributor who allows Carroll the luxury of rotating new legs without compromising control. In a defense seeking to divest itself of old ways of doing things. That sort of presence is worth more than star reputations.
Let’s not forget, Overshown himself went unnoticed in his draft season before ending up in Dallas and almost immediately proving himself. He is aware of what the league wants, and he is aware of what gets lost in translation. His signal, quiet as it was, didn’t go unpicked. For the time being, Wilkins will sit back and see what the NFLPA grievance process brings. But the Raiders? They’re already turning the page, starting with Pete Carroll providing the leadership, and Keondre Coburn filling the hole.
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Did the Raiders make the right call by choosing culture over Christian Wilkins' star power?