The Las Vegas Raiders were mostly quiet in free agency but they did hand out one of the biggest contracts of the year when they signed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a $110 million deal. The former Miami Dolphins standout had other suitors in free agency but the Raiders won out.
One team that could’ve made sense for Wilkins was the New York Giants. He played with defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence at Clemson and the two are very close. However, Giants director of pro scouting Chris Rossetti was not a fan of potentially signing the veteran defensive tackle as revealed by HBO’s “Hard Knocks.”
“This is Dexter’s best friend,” Rossetti said of Wilkins on the July 3 episode of “Hard Knocks.” “I don’t think he’s a difference-making pass rusher on third down, which is what we need opposite Dex.”
Rossetti’s assertion was quickly debunked by Doug Farrar of USA Today in a July 3 X post, who pointed out that Wilkins was tied for second in the NFL for most pressures from the interior of the defensive line on third down with 27. It’s worth noting that Rossetti was a pro scout with the Dolphins in 2019 when they drafted Wilkins so it’s possible he has more insight into the defensive tackle. However, his comments about Wilkins aren’t backed by the statistics.
Tom Telesco Impressed With Christian Wilkins Early On
While the Giants front office may have passed on Wilkins, Raiders general manager Tom Telesco doesn’t appear to have any buyer’s remorse. He recently pointed out how impressive Wilkins’ work ethic has been since joining the team.
“Christian, he’s a natural leader,” Telesco said during the Raiders’ June 10 Media Day. “Even though he’s a veteran, even though he’s played in the league, when you come to a new team, sometimes guys will take a step back and kind of see the lay of the land. He walked in here, and he just leads naturally right away, and that’s kind of rare to see …
“The day that we signed him … he was out here on the field getting his workout in… That’s what we want to see. They’re here to play football. Work ethic is a big part of it, especially when you sign a big contract. So, he’s fit right in with us.”
It’s a promising sign that Wilkins got paid but that hasn’t put a damper on his work ethic. The Raiders have no reason to be concerned about the veteran defensive tackle.
Las Vegas Raiders DL Is in Strong Position
A team like the Giants didn’t necessarily need Wilkins as they already have one great defensive tackle in Lawrence. The Raiders, on the other hand, really needed to upgrade the interior of their defensive line.
The team is very good on the edges with Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce combining for 22.5 sacks last season. They now have a player who had 9.0 sacks from the interior last season. The Raiders’ defensive line has the potential to be one of the top groups in the NFL with the addition of Wilkins. If he can play to the level he did last season, it was well worth the investment for the team.
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