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The Las Vegas Raiders’ release of defensive tackle Christian Wilkins stunned the NFL. Just one year earlier, Wilkins had signed a massive four-year, $110 million contract, including $82.75 million guaranteed.
Yet, after appearing in only five games, the Raiders abruptly cut ties with the 29-year-old veteran, voiding $35.2 million in remaining guarantees and citing a lack of physical preparedness.
Though initial reports tied Wilkins’ release to his recovery from a foot injury, a Jones fracture sustained in Week 5 of the 2024 season, new information points to a deeper issue within the Raiders’ locker room.
“Christian Wilkins reportedly had an ‘incident’ with a teammate that led to his release by the Raiders, league sources tell Josina Anderson,” team insider Nick Walters reported on X (formerly Twitter).
Though the specifics of the altercation remain undisclosed, one source described the situation as ‘it was weird… like, a very weird incident,’ per Raiders Report Mitchell Renz.
Christian Wilkins reportedly had an 'incident' with a teammate that led to his release by the #Raiders, league sources tell @JosinaAnderson.
Sources within the team are being careful and won't leak many details. One says 'it was weird… like, a very weird incident,' per… pic.twitter.com/KTOwNVEAOb
— Nick Walters (@nickwalt) July 26, 2025
Another claimed Wilkins had been playing around, suggesting that the interaction may have started light-hearted but escalated beyond acceptable boundaries. The Raiders have not publicly confirmed details, but the internal silence has led to speculation that the incident pushed Wilkins past the organization’s threshold for tolerance.
Wilkins had been placed on the reserve/PUP list on July 18, just days before his release.
Head coach Pete Carroll alluded to broader concerns beyond just the injury.
“We took a long time to make our decision,” Carroll explained on July 25. “We watched our way through the whole thing. We’re keeping it really clear what we said. I think there was no clear path to his return, and so we just had to move on.”
The team also claimed Wilkins failed to maintain his physical condition by refusing a second surgery on his injured foot, a decision that may have further strained trust between player and team.
Wilkins was already showcasing the kind of talent that separates good players from great ones before the injury. He recorded 17 tackles, two sacks, and six quarterback hits in five games during the 2024 season. His career-best nine sacks in 2023 with the Miami Dolphins made him one of the top interior defensive linemen in the league.
Regardless of the Raiders’ concerns, other teams reportedly do not share the same reservations. Wilkins, who has filed a grievance through the NFLPA to recover the voided guarantees, is expected to draw interest on the open market.
In total, Wilkins earned $49.7 million from the Raiders, appearing in just five games before his tenure ended in controversy.
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