The free agency period has begun, and the Las Vegas Raiders were looking to make a splash as they try to get back into postseason contention after consecutive years of missing the playoffs. One area where they wanted to improve was the interior of the defensive line, and one of the best options available to do that is Christian Wilkins.
Wilkins is coming off an absolutely monster year with the Miami Dolphins racking up 65 total tackles, nine sacks, 23 quarterback hits, and 10 tackles for loss. It was expected that he and the Dolphins wouldn’t be able to agree on a new deal, but the Raiders were willing to break the bank.
According to Ian Rapaport of NFL Network, the Raiders have agreed to a four-year deal with Wilkins worth $110 million with nearly $85 million guaranteed:
Splash: One of the top free agents is off the market, as #Dolphins star DT Christian Wilkins is headed to the #Raiders, sources say.
He gets a 4-year deal worth $110M base value that includes $84.75M guaranteed in a contract done by @DavidMulugheta of @AthletesFirst. pic.twitter.com/aKwKFIfU5T
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 11, 2024
The move makes all the sense in the world for the Raiders who badly needed to get Maxx Crosby some help along the line. No defensive tackle played more snaps than Wilkins who hasn’t missed a game in the past three seasons. He can provide pressure from the interior, which only frees up Crosby even more, meaning the Raiders could potentially have one of the best lineman duos in the entire league.
The deal doesn’t quite reach the level that Chris Jones signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, but that is to be expected. It is still quite the price to pay, but it should be worth it if all goes well. This Raiders front will be absolute hell to go against, and that is exactly what head coach Antonio Pierce is all about.
There are still plenty of other moves to be made, but the Raiders are showing very early in free agency that they are serious about going all in and being a real contender next season.
Raiders interested in running back Saquon Barkley?
As far as offense goes, one of the biggest questions for the Raiders remains what to do at running back. The team will reportedly try and re-sign Josh Jacobs, but there is no guarantee the two sides will be able to work something out.
If they ultimately part ways with Jacobs, one potential replacement could be Saquon Barkley. A recent report listed the Raiders as one of the teams interested in and with the resources to bring on the former New York Giant, who has proven he can still deliver big games in the right situation.
