Mike Vrabel says Patriots will ‘have a conversation’ about veteran and former Raiders DL Christian Wilkins

Defensive lineman Christian Wilkins is looking for his next team, and one day after the Las Vegas Raiders released the veteran, he is already gaining interest from another coach. New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said the team would discuss the possibility of adding Wilkins, who’s relationship with the Raiders ended on a sour note.

“I mean I think we’ll have a conversation …I’ve known Christian, recruited him when he was up here in the area in Connecticut going to high school, so I’m sure we’ll have a conversation about it,” Vrabel said.

The coach also noted that he recruited Wilkins when he coached at Ohio State, but the DL ended up going to Clemson. 

Vrabel, who is in his first year as the head coach of his former team, made notable moves on defense in free agency including defensive tackle Milton Williams, cornerback Carlton Davis, EDGE Harold Landry and linebacker Robert Spillane. The Patriots defense should’ve been stronger than it was in 2024 and the linebacker-turned-coach will look to revamp that side of the ball after a 4-13 season. 

According to the NFL Network, the Raiders wanted the former first rounder to have surgery on his foot after suffering a Jones Fracture, but he decided to do rehab instead. The two sides had “discord” on when he would return to play and the team put him on the physically unable to perform list right before training camp began.

The Raiders voided the $35.2 million of guaranteed money left on his contract over contentiousness of his rehab from the season-ending injury he suffered five games into last year. Wilkins filed a grievance with the NFL Players Association over the guaranteed money.

The Raiders signed Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million deal last offseason.

Wilkins spent the first five seasons of his career with the Miami Dolphins, starting 77 games, including three straight years of starting every game from 2021 to 2023, with 355 combined tackles, with 43 tackles for a loss, 50 quarterback hits, 20.5 sacks, 19 passes defended, six fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles.