When the Las Vegas Raiders signed Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million contract last March, the Los Angeles Chargers (and their fans) naturally couldn't have been thrilled.
Sure, the Bolts only square off with their longtime rivals twice per year, but more wins for the Raiders obviously make things more difficult for the Chargers in terms of winning the AFC West or fighting for a wild-card spot. And adding Wilkins to a defensive line that already included superstar edge rusher Maxx Crosby was obviously designed to do just that.
But Las Vegas never really got the chance to see what it had in that duo, as Wilkins suffered a foot injury in just his fifth game in a Raiders uniform and was shortly after placed on season-ending injured reserve after it was discovered that he needed surgery to repair a Jones fracture.
Wilkins was placed on the PUP list ahead of Raiders training camp, which was expected, but things took an unexpected turn when he was abruptly released on July 24. And this has turned into an absolute mess, as Las Vegas voided the remaining $35.2 million of guaranteed money left on his contract, as they believe he didn't take the necessary steps during his rehab process to get healthy, which has led to a grievance being filed by the NFLPA on Wilkins' behalf.
Legal issues aside, the Raiders obviously had a roster spot to fill following the release, and Chargers fans (and Kansas City Chiefs fans and Denver Broncos fans) have been lighting Las Vegas up on social media for its selection, as the franchise is rolling the dice on defensive tackle Keondre Coburn, who isn't nearly as menacing as the guy whose spot he's taking.
Raiders replacing Christian Wilkins with Keondre Coburn is hilarious for Chargers fans
For those unfamiliar, Coburn, who spent his collegiate career with the Texas Longhorns, was a sixth-round selection of the Chiefs in 2023. But after appearing in just one regular-season game with Kansas City and making just one tackle, he was waived in mid-October, at which point he was claimed off waivers by the Broncos.
He never once hit the field in Denver before he was waived in mid-November, at which point he went back to Kansas City as a member of the practice squad. But less than a month later, he was picked up by the Tennessee Titans, with whom he saw action in four games, recording seven total tackles.
Coburn appeared in 15 games for the Titans in 2024, even getting one start. Despite recording just 14 tackles in those 15 appearances, he was given a one-year extension. But on the same day Wilkins was released, July 24, Coburn was waived. One day later, he was claimed by the Raiders, and here we are.
So, as the stats above are literally everything Coburn has done up to this point, it's easy to understand why Chargers fans are having a little chuckle at the Raiders' (and Tom Telesco's) expense.