As the New York Giants head into free agency with Roy Robertson-Harris, Elijah Chatman, and Darius Alexander rounding out the defensive tackle room, it’s probably time to get serious about finding a real running mate next to Dexter Lawrence.
It’s funny I bring that up, because there just so happens to be someone who used to line up next to Sexy Dexy in college, and they won two national championships together at Clemson as part of the "Power Rangers." Enter Christian Wilkins, the polarizing 30-year-old who was released by the Las Vegas Raiders a little over a year after signing a four-year, $110 million deal in 2024 free agency.
Some locker room drama and disagreements over medical treatment pushed him out, and sometimes one team’s headache turns into another team’s opportunity.
You know who else thinks Wilkins is worth a look in free agency? None other than Giants insider Art Stapleton, who believes the 2019 13th overall pick could resurface in talks this offseason because of his relationship with Dex:
I'd also expect the Giants to consider getting Chiggy wit it
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) February 22, 2026
And one name not on my list that I think will resurface this week in buzzy circles, and I'll mention him on All In shows from the Combine, so here goes:
F.O.D. Christian Wilkins ... Friend of Dex
A Ravensy signing if… https://t.co/fEmrKVKEkG
Consider this a redo for passing on the 6-foot-4, 310-pounder back in 2024, a moment forever immortalized on HBO’s Hard Knocks. If there were ever a time to play the friendship card, it’s now, with John Harbaugh running the show and already singing Lawrence's praises from the combine podium. He knows how important it is to stop the run and give Dex a proper partner.
Christian Wilkins feels like the obvious answer next to Dexter Lawrence
Wilkins has "classic Harbaugh guy" written all over him, as Stapleton pointed out. The 63-year-old has been known to make under-the-radar signings like this when he was with the Baltimore Ravens.
The move makes a lot of sense on paper, but context matters. Anytime you’re talking about a player with medical red flags, the obligatory “if healthy” follows right behind it. Wilkins missed 12 games in 2024 with a severe Jones fracture in his left foot, and the rehab wasn’t exactly smooth. The Raiders believed he needed a second surgery after an offseason setback, but Wilkins sought second opinions and declined to go back under the knife.
Because there was no clear return timeline and tensions over how his rehab was being handled, the Raiders voided $35.25 million in guaranteed money on his four-year, $110 million deal. He was officially released in late July 2025 with a terminated vested veteran designation, and it didn’t stop there. Wilkins filed a grievance with the NFLPA, and the dispute over his medical treatment and guarantees is still ongoing.
But what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right?
When Wilkins is healthy, he’s a monster against the run. In the five seasons before the injury, the Springfield, MA native finished top-25 in Pro Football Focus run-defense grades. Even if he can recoup 80 to 90 percent of that, you’re still talking about a massive upgrade next to Lawrence.
It wasn't two years ago that Wilkins was an elite-level run stuffer. Maybe he's got a little left in the tank. If he’s healthy, he makes life easier for Dexter Lawrence. That alone is worth the call.