On March 11th, 2024, the Las Vegas Raiders inked a four-year, $110M deal with former Miami Dolphin, Christian Wilkins. The idea was to pair Maxx Crosby with a dominant interior lineman, but that dream was crushed after just one season.
Yesterday, the Raiders made the shocking announcement that they were cutting Wilkins, voiding over $35 million of guaranteed money in the process.
In what is usually a downtime for breaking NFL news stories, this one was a whopper.
Wilkins became the second-highest paid defensive tackle in league history just a year ago, and now he’s a free agent with a lengthy NFLPA battle ahead as he tries to reclaim that guaranteed money. That’s a crazy turn of events.
Virtually every NFL fan base is now clamoring for their team to sign him, and while the medical side is a serious red flag, we would be crazy not to think of a possible pairing in Dallas.
The Why: Rationale Behind Christian Wilkins to Dallas
To say a healthy Christian Wilkins is needed in Dallas is a colossal understatement.
300+ lbs, dominant run stuffer, effective pass rusher with nine-sack potential? That has been the dream of the Cowboys’ front office for years now.
From Mazi Smith to Trysten Hill, it has been a never-ending pursuit to find somebody on the interior defensive line who can stop the run. Wilkins, if healthy, does that and more for you at an elite level.
The pairing of him and Osa Odighizuwa would be perfect in the Matt Ebeflus defense, and it would also ease some of the double-team pressure on Micah Parsons on passing downs.
Here’s what it comes down to with “why”: Dallas would love to have a player like Wilkins, and he is somehow now available. They will take a look; the only holdups will be the medical information and the contract.
The How: Medical Problems Could Create Affordability
When a player of Christian Wilkins’ caliber hits the market, the expectation is that they will get picked up almost immediately. That may not be the case here.
We’re not talking about a regular free agency situation here: Wilkins, who suffered a Jones fracture in his foot last season, is still not ready to play and shut down the Raiders’ push for additional surgery on it. That is a serious problem.
The team’s official statement said they see “no clear plan or path” for Wilkins’ return.
In short, his foot and how he handles it will dictate where, when, and how much he signs for. When it comes to the Cowboys, a team that has previously bet on injured players, this might not deter them.
Considering the talent and the fit in Dallas, if they bring him in for a visit and determine he will be able to play at some point in 2025, they could look to strike a deal. That is a major if, and perhaps an unlikely one at this point.
The other problem is always money for the Cowboys, but it’s hard to see Wilkins signing for anything more than a one-year, incentive-based contract at this point. That is affordable for Dallas.
The Bottom Line: Improbable Possibility Shouldn’t Be Ignored
For the Cowboys fans that are salivating over the potential of a Christian Wilkins signing, trust me, I get it.
Even if he were to return by the end of the year, it would totally change Dallas’ defense and ceiling heading into the postseason. There are, however, some major holdups to consider, and we must keep that in mind.
The concerns here are real and serious, and I can’t blame the front office if the risk outweighs the reward.
Wilkins-to-Dallas is an improbable possibility at this point. Don’t get too excited right now, but don’t ignore the Cowboys and their more aggressive player acquisition strategy.
