Things got a little bit easier for the Patriots in the AFC East on Monday as one of their division rivals lost a star defensive tackle.
The Miami Dolphins will have to retool on that defensive line with Christian Wilkins reportedly agreeing to join the Las Vegas Raiders, NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported shortly after the negotiation window opened.
According to Rapoport, Wilkins and the Raiders agreed to a four-year deal worth up to $110 million. The deal includes $84.75 million guaranteed.
The Dolphins drafted Wilkins, a Mass. native, with the 13th pick of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Clemson. Wilkins is coming off the best season of his five-year career. He played in all 17 games for Miami, recording a career-high nine sacks while also adding 10 tackles for loss and 23 quarterback hits. Wilkins played the end in his first three seasons before moving to tackle ahead of 2022, showcasing his versatility. He's a solid all-around player who has been stout in the run game as well and should be a fine addition to a Raiders defense that was top-10 by DVOA. The unit showed legitimate improvement under interim coach Antonio Pierce, who was named permanent head coach this offseason.
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Wilkins would have been a solid addition to the Patriots' defense, too, and one NFL writer predicted New England ultimately would land the stud tackle.
The Patriots can at least take solace in the fact they won't have to deal with Wilkins as much moving forward. Based on Pro Football Focus grading, Wilkins had two of his best five games against the Patriots in 2023, registering a combined four tackles and two sacks in the two contests.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
