Getty Las Vegas Raiders DT Christian Wilkins.
The Las Vegas Raiders have officially inked Christian Wilkins to a contract and he’s very excited about it. He’s so excited that he could barely contain himself after putting pen to paper.
Right after signing his contract, Wilkins let out a loud “Raiders” chant as his first comment as a member of the team.
🗣️ SAY IT WITH YOUR CHEST
That wasn’t enough for Wilkins as he also started his March 14 introductory press conference with another “Raiders” chant. He’s clearly fired up about joining Las Vegas. The Raiders signed him to a four-year deal worth $110 million so they’ve made a big commitment to him.
Wilkins has established himself as one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL and finished with 9.0 sacks last year. He should quickly make a huge impact on the Raiders’ defensive line as they haven’t had a great defensive tackle in a very long time. Head coach Antonio Pierce is likely just excited about Wilkins joining the team as the defensive tackle.
Christian Wilkins on Reuniting With Patrick Graham
For Christian Wilkins, the transition to the Raiders won’t be too difficult. He’s reuniting with defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who held the same position with the Miami Dolphins when Wilkins was a rookie in 2019.
Raiders defensive line coach Rob Leonard also spent three years with Wilkins in Miami so there’s a lot of familiarity. Wilkins is excited about the chance to work with some coaches he knows well.
“That makes a transition like this easier,” Wilkins said of playing for Graham again. “Just having that rapport and a relationship with the coaches who are already here. I’m excited to just come here and work with them again.”
The Raiders defense line was a strength for the team last season and Wilkins only makes the group better. Graham and Leonard now have some really strong pieces to work with to build off of a strong 2023 season.
Christian Wilkins Talks Maxx Crosby
Defensive end Maxx Crosby has been carrying the Raiders defense for a few years now and was easily the highest-paid defensive player ($94 million over four years). Now Christian Wilkins is the team’s highest-paid defensive player.
Wiklins credited Crosby as a major reason why he decided to come to Las Vegas.
“There’s one big reason to want to come here and that’s No. 98,” Wilkins said. “He’s obviously a great player and I got a lot of respect for who he is and how he operates and how he plays.”
Crosby is coming off a career year where he had 14.5 sacks and was nominated for Defensive Player of the Year. He now finally has an elite running mate on the defensive line. However, Wilkins knows that nothing is easy. He’s looking forward to working with the entire defensive line.
“It’s going to have to be built. It’s definitely a process, a journey … we’re going to have to build up a rapport with all the guys on defense,” Wilkins said.
An elite defensive line can take a team really far, especially with the Raiders’ issues on offense. Adding Wilkins is a major step toward building one of the better pass rushes in the NFL.