4 Raiders who won’t be back after giving out huge Christian Wilkins contract
By Mark Powell
The Las Vegas Raiders couldn't sign Chris Jones this offseason, but they got the next best thing in Christian Wilkins, who was formerly of the Miami Dolphins. Antonio Pierce and the Raiders know it's very unlikely they'll find a quarterback as productive as Patrick Mahomes on such short notice. So, rather than emphasize that position, they'll try to stop Mahomes instead.
The Raiders paired Wilkins with Maxx Crosby, forming one of the best defensive line duos in the NFL in the process. Pierce joked early this offseason that he wanted to create the 'Jordan Rules' for stopping Mahomes, and perhaps we should've taken him a little more seriously.
“We’ve got the Jordan Rules and we’ve got what I’m calling now as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes Rules,” Pierce said on Maxx Crosby’s The Rush Podcast. “You remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons, all those guys in the ’80s before he became Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whip his [behind]. Any time he came to the hole: elbows, feeling him, love taps. We’re in his head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually."
The Raiders did beat Mahomes and the Chiefs on Christmas Day last year, so they have some recent history in Vegas's favor. Adding Wilkins will only help matters, but it also limits what the Raiders can do moving forward this offseason.
4. Jimmy Garoppolo is as good as gone from the Raiders
The Raiders officially released Jimmy Garoppolo earlier this offseason, and the two sides were ready to move on. Garoppolo will likely end up with a team in need of a veteran backup. While one could argue the Raiders made a similar signing in Gardner Minshew, Vegas needed some fresh blood in the quarterback room.
A Garoppolo return to the San Francisco 49ers, for one, could be on the table. The 49ers lost Sam Darnold to the Minnesota Vikings during the legal tampering period. Garoppolo would be the unquestioned backup to Brock Purdy. In a worst-case scenario in which Purdy goes down, Garoppolo has starting experience in Kyle Shanahan's system.
Jimmy G's Vegas tenure didn't go according to plan. He was a rather obvious downgrade from Derek Carr when acquired, and he failed to develop in an offense buoyed by Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams, among others.
Hard pass.