The Las Vegas Raiders parted ways with Christian Wilkins amid some issues during his rehab from last season's foot surgery. Wilkins has filed for a grievance with the NFLPA as the Raiders attempt to void the remaining guarantees of his deal, but no matter what, his time with the Raiders has come to an end just one year after he got there. It's a shocking development, to say the least; we had no idea that there was any trouble brewing here, despite Wilkins starting training camp on the PUP list.
Wilkins looked like his usual star self before getting hurt last season, so letting him go was odd, but I guess they felt he was going to be an injury liability. The good thing is the defensive tackle now is available to become an asset to a needy contender looking for some help on the defensive interior.
Here’s who should be looking at signing Wilkins as his abrupt end with the Raiders opens up an opportunity for a team to swoop in and improve their defense.
4 teams that should jump at the chance to sign veteran defensive tackle Christian Wilkins
1. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions should be atop the list of teams to call Wilkins. While he is rehabbing, they need help on the defensive side of the ball, specifically their defensive line. Their defensive line is beat up and one of the important positions they needed to address this offseason, as Alim McNeill's status is up in the air for the start of the season.
They did well getting some help, but adding Wilkins could go a long way to getting some much-needed depth. Because he was cut and coming off an injury, he won’t yield a massive contract. The Lions should be able to add him no problem.
Detroit has been linked to bringing Za’Darius Smith back. He might be cheaper, but Wilkins can play both on the inside and outside of the defensive line. Depending on the extent of his rehab, if he can be available early in the season, he might be worth it, as both McNeill and DJ REader profile more as run defenders than disruptors.
2. Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones has been active this offseason in making sure his Dallas Cowboys are competitive in 2025. They could benefit from adding Wilkins to this defense: They need a lot of help in their front seven after losing DeMarcus Lawrence to free agency and DeMarvion Overshown to injury. Micah Parsons is as good as it gets, but he could use some help, and Marshawn Kneeland is more of a role player than anything.
Dallas needs to add Wilkins to improve this defense, in both the pass rush and the interior. He may not immediately be the savior, but his addition certainly wouldn’t hurt. And if the Cowboys don’t have the secondary to keep explosive offenses at bay, they need to make up for it with the defensive line.
Again, the good thing is Wilkins won’t have to do a lot, he’ll just need to do enough to keep the Cowboys competitive. Jones knows what it’s going to take to win and Wilkins won’t hurt. It may not be the difference in whether the Cowboys are a top team or not, but what do they have to lose?
3. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals got some frustrating news with Walter Nolen's injury. They’re hoping he can be back by the start of the season. Wilkins’ season will be delayed most likely, so it may not be immediate help that the Cardinals get from him, but if Nolen is out beyond Week 1 Arizona could quickly need more depth on the interior.
The Cardinals have had an odd few years. Injuries have hindered them, and they’ve been one of those teams that, on paper, should be better than they are. This year feels like the year for things to turn around. That said, they can’t force a move.
Wilkins would be a great addition; he’s a solid veteran that could give the Cardinals some depth as well as take this defense to the next level. With Wilkins, no matter where he goes, it’s not like he’s going to be the difference between a Super Bowl and missing the playoffs. If that was the case the Raiders wouldn’t have let him go.
If the news around Nolen doesn’t get better, it might be worth bringing Wilkins in just to be safe. They could get some depth if nothing worse or turn to him to have a bigger role if need be.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars could benefit heavily from adding Wilkins. This year, Trevor Lawrence has made it clear he has an abundance of pressure on him to win and take this team to new heights. They can’t afford another losing season or people will really start questioning if he’s good enough to win with the Jags.
Because he needs as much help as he can get, adding Wilkins into the fold is critical to making this defense better. While the offense has had its problem, the defense has struggled and adding Wilkins wouldn’t be a bad move at all as top pick Mason Graham looks to adjust to life in the NFL.
This defense hasn’t been great and can certainly use all the help it can get on the defensive line. If the Jaguars don’t show interest in Wilkins, it could be the one thing they might regret. It won’t be the most important move they make, but they can’t neglect needing some defensive interior help.