Before talking about Christian Wilkins, let’s go down memory lane for a second. Remember when the Raiders selected JaMarcus Russell first overall in the 2007 NFL Draft? He was supposed to lead the storied franchise back to the promised land after winning a National Championship with LSU.
All hope was on him to turn the Raiders around. He lasted… three seasons and never set foot in the NFL again. 18 touchdowns, 23 interceptions, and a completion percentage of 52.1% didn’t inspire much confidence in the organization, leading them to look elsewhere.
He didn’t know the playbook and had various weight issues. At one point, he weighed 290 lbs.! Matt Millen tried to warn Al Davis about drafting him. Alas, he earned the label of being the “biggest draft bust of his generation.
So, what does Russell’s past failure have to do with Wilkins being cut? Well, it goes straight to the top, where the organization looks to right the ship once and for all. Could it be that the Las Vegas Raiders are changing their philosophy altogether?
Christian Wilkins being cut signals a new Raiders regime
Now, I was a bit skeptical about Wilkins being cut by the Las Vegas Raiders at first. He did have two sacks in five games with the Raiders last season before suffering a Jones fracture. This led to him being cut over his approach to the rehab process, where he filed a grievance with the NFLPA.
All this sounds like he was unjustly cut. How could Las Vegas cut a man who was integral in keeping the defensive line upright with Maxx Crosby? That’s when some more news hit. Boy, was it a doozy.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Wilkins tried to “playfully kiss a teammate on the top of his head,” leading to a bad altercation. Now, this isn’t the sole reason why the defensive lineman was cut. However, it was a good reason.
In an age where HR complaints can lead to you being canned, Wilkins ran into that problem. Mind you, he was cut after one season with the Raiders. Russell? He was ditched after three.
The new regime is building character, which is a great thing
Let’s be honest. The NFL isn’t well-known for having the most astute characters in sports. Players are arrested and sued for various incidents, ranging from domestic violence to… getting massages.
With Tom Brady in tow, the Raiders are saying that enough is enough. If you’re going to be a locker room cancer and cause nefarious deeds, you’re not going to last long. That also goes for going with the flow health-wise.
No kissing players on the forehead.
No showing up to training camp 70 lbs. overweight.
This is a new regime, where excellence is the standard. That was the case when you added a Super Bowl winner in Pete Carroll and drafted budding superstars like Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty.
Wasn’t there an old saying within the organization? It went something like…
Commitment to Excellence?
Oh yeah, that’s the one.
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