Should the 49ers Sign Christian Wilkins
It's not so straightforward...
Adam Schefter dropped a bombshell late last week, reporting that the Las Vegas Raiders have released DT Christian Wilkins just one year into his big deal. Signing as a marquee free agent last off-season, Wilkins missed most of the season with a foot injury. Arguments between Wilkins and the Raiders lasted throughout the off-season as his rehab (which he opted for over surgery) hasn’t quite taken, prompting the Raiders to move on entirely. That bares asking if Wilkins could be a savvy signing for the San Francisco 49ers.
The Argument Against
There’s a good chance Wilkins misses most, if not all, of the 2025 season. The Raiders turned over leadership this off-season, so perhaps they weren’t too keen on Wilkins anyway, but odds are they would’ve been willing to work with him if they thought he could make an impact on a thin defense. Their moving on outright suggests there wasn’t a good outlook on his short or long-term health.
The 49ers, meanwhile, are no strangers to injury problems. Trent Williams, Christian McCaffrey, Ricky Pearsall, and Brandon Aiyuk are all players that the team and fans will be keeping a close eye on. Adding Wilkins adds yet another high-risk, high-reward player to the roster.
Furthermore, Wilkins and the Players’ Association are likely to get into a legal battle with the Raiders over his guaranteed money, which has been voided due to how he handled his injury. With that money in flux, Wilkins isn’t going to be playing on someone else’s dollar. Thus, he could still be somewhat expensive, and needs the year to recover anyway. That comes with no guarantee that he’ll truly recover at all, a two-year injury is typically a death-knell.
The name value is exciting, but much like Aiyuk, this could just be an expensive hospital stay. The distraction might not be worth it, and the financial risk could affect the team's flexibility. It comes down to his asking price, but odds are it won’t be a great value. Even if he takes a cheap one-year rehab deal, that only moves the headache of a potentially expensive deal to next year.
The Argument For
Why not?
Seriously. If the goal is to win a Super Bowl, then taking risks is required to get over the hump. The last three Super Bowl trips by the 49ers came behind a strong front-seven, and the team dedicated this off-season to revitalizing that unit. Bryant Young, Justin Smith, DeForest Buckner. The best 49ers defenses have always had an interior disruptor, and Wilkins fits the mold perfectly.
They’ve seemingly addressed the edge problem, but only added a pair of run-stuffers to the interior. That’s great for the overall health, but the best pass rushes can get interior pressure. That makes Christian Wilkins a perfect fit within the rotation.
If things go well, Wilkins could return near the end of the season. That could accelerate the pass rush just in time for a playoff push boost. Even if he doesn’t return, but is ready in time for 2026, that’ll give the young defensive tackles a ton of experience. This very well could be a savvy long-term play, Wilkins is still 29 and should be fresh upon his return.
It may not be a Bay-area rivalry anymore, but joining the 49ers could be a motivating factor in sticking it to the Raiders. It is a risky play, but fortune favors the bold.