On Friday the Las Vegas Raiders announced the release of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, designating him as a terminated vested veteran. This decision comes after an extensive deliberation period according to head coach Pete Carroll. Wilkins, 29, is currently rehabbing a Jones fracture in his left foot. He played through the injury last October.
Christian Wilkins signed an even bigger, four-year, $110 million contract with the Raiders last year. This agreement featured the most guaranteed cash in history at a jaw-dropping $82.75 million. Yet, on June 4, the Raiders terminated the other $35.2 million of guaranteed money that was still on his contract. In March, the team took a bold step. They turned Wilkins’ $20.5 million roster bonus into a signing bonus, freeing up additional cap space.
So despite his high-profile contract and on-field talent, the organization could fathom no clear path for Wilkins’ return. His continued recovery from injury wasn’t enough to get him to Seattle.
We made a real long deliberation, Pete Carroll said to start. He thought about all the other angles that came with his decision to leave the defensive tackle, who he signed out of free agency.
The Raiders’ recent draft choices would be a big indicator on their decision to reshape their defensive line. In April, they signed D-line Tonka Hemingway and JJ Pegues on the third day of the NFL draft. Maxx Crosby, a teammate, expressed confidence in the new recruits: “Tonka, J.J., you’ve got Tyree [Wilson] getting reps inside… we’ve got a ton of talent.”
Crosby emphasized his trust in the team’s new members, stating, “I trust those guys. I know they’re going to be ready when it comes to game day because we need them.”
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) has filed Wilkins’ grievance and they should win. Wilkins’ guaranteed money was voided. This move follows the recent organizational shifts in the membership-based advocacy association. How this ruling will affect licenses both sides are still feeling their way through the ramifications that follow this decision.
The Raiders are serious about remaking their roster, and the Wilkins release underscores that seriousness. They are doing this while pursuing serious financial return and performance focus in a very competitive league landscape.
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