Former first-round pick Christian Wilkins has become a popular name in NFL circles, but for all the wrong reasons.
The former Miami Dolphins star was in the first year of a $110 million contract with the Las Vegas Raiders when a foot injury sidelined him after just five games in 2024. The team released him and voided the remaining $32.5 million in guaranteed salary under his contract due to alleged violations of his rehab program.
However, some troubling allegations about an incident in the locker room reportedly played a bigger role in the decision to release him, and he’s remained unsigned since.
Now, it looks like he’s finally done his time. According to ESPN insider Adam Schefter, the Clemson star is looking forward to playing next season, and almost the entire league is keeping tabs on his services:
“Free-agent DT Christian Wilkins fully intends to play this season, but still is rehabbing his foot injury, per his agent David Mulugheta. So far 26 teams have reached out and are waiting for Wilkins to be ready, and Wilkins is expected to have a new home as soon as he wants,” Schefter wrote on X.
The Raiders never confirmed that his locker room incident ultimately forced their hand to cut him loose. However, league sources were reportedly aware of his behavior and the complaints about allegedly trying to kiss a teammate on the head in the locker room. He seemed to be blackballed ever since.
From a football perspective, however, Wilkins deserves another chance to take the field. He’s a game-wrecking defensive tackle with 22.5 career sacks, not to mention a great run-stopper.
At this point, his next move might hinge on whether he’s finally fully recovered from his Jones fracture injury, especially considering that there were concerns about how he approached the rehab process at first.
