Christian Wilkins should be a cautionary tale...

[Pappy13]

for those that chase the money.

For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, the Raiders released Christian Wilkens from his big contract this season. Wilkins has filed a grievance with the NFLPA. What's at the heart of this dispute? Well it appears there's more than 1 thing. I'm pretty sure the biggest issue is that Wilkens was hurt last year and couldn't contribute. It's also come out that perhaps there was a disagreement about the way his rehab from that injury has been going. Just recently it came out that there was an "incident" in the locker room where apparently Wilkins kissed another player on the top of his head playfully and that player took offense.

This is what happens when you chase the money. Wilkins hadn't produced anything for the Raiders, so he didn't have any locker room cred coming into last season with them. On top of that he was getting paid like a big time player so there's already a bit of resentment there possibly. Then he gets hurt and isn't helping the team. That's all it takes for things to start to go sideways and suddenly the Raiders and teammates are looking for reasons to get rid of you and that big fat contract.

Now I'm sure that Wilkins will land on his feet and get another contract, but it might not be as lucrative as the one he signed with the Raiders and yes it's possible that his grievance with the NFLPA will get results, but that's no guarantee and that's not really something that you want to be going through as a young player. So many of these young players have no clue how fortunate they are just to be playing in the NFL, getting a big fat contract is a bonus but don't just sign with the team that provides the biggest dollar amount, maybe consider what you have already established with a team and play for a little less to keep a good thing going, because it can go sideways quickly with a new team.

That's just my opinion, I'm not the one getting paid.

[CF DolFan]

Wilkins jokingly kissing a guy on the top of his head seems like typical Wilkins so that doesn't bother me. What does is the fact he has only played 5 games last year and won't play any this year because of injury. I'm guessing the Raiders are going to get stuck paying him so it might not take much to sign Wilkens for next year.

[Spider-Dan]

There is, of course, another side to this: if Wilkins didn't chase the money and got injured, he would simply be out of that huge signing bonus while potentially in the exact same career position.  If he's content with the idea of playing in Miami for less money, it's not like that door is closed.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

I am with Spider on this.  Unless you are assuming MIA is safer and he wouldn't have gotten hurt, he is ahead by getting a larger guaranteed number. Seems like the Raiders are trying to renege on the guarantees.   

[Sibster]

I am with Spider on this.  Unless you are assuming MIA is safer and he wouldn't have gotten hurt, he is ahead by getting a larger guaranteed number. Seems like the Raiders are trying to renege on the guarantees.   

They'd have to prove he did something to violate the terms of his contract in order to legally do that.

[Pappy13]

There is, of course, another side to this: if Wilkins didn't chase the money and got injured, he would simply be out of that huge signing bonus while potentially in the exact same career position.  If he's content with the idea of playing in Miami for less money, it's not like that door is closed.

I am with Spider on this.  Unless you are assuming MIA is safer and he wouldn't have gotten hurt, he is ahead by getting a larger guaranteed number. Seems like the Raiders are trying to renege on the guarantees.    

Well I'm not saying that Wilkins shouldn't have signed a long term contract of course he should have, I'm merely saying that if he had signed a long term contract with Miami instead of the Raiders and gotten hurt, I don't think he'd be in the same situation. He had built up enough cred with the Dolphins that I think they would have been more patient with him and his rehab and I also don't think the locker room "incident" would have been seen as a big deal. I may be off base, but that's how I see it.

Now I realize that Miami wasn't in a position to really sign Wilkins to a big long term contract, so don't misunderstand, I get why he signed with the Raiders and all and yet I still think he'd be in a much better situation right now if he was still with Miami. I'm merely pointing out the down side of leaving a team you are clearly invested in for a brand new team just because they can pay you the most.

If he's content with the idea of playing in Miami for less money, it's not like that door is closed.

That bridge has already been crossed. There's no way he's coming back to Miami now unless he takes a HUGE paycut. I don't see that happening. I can't say for sure that Miami was willing to sign him for a smaller contract than the Raiders gave him, it seems like they had already made the decision to let him go to free agency, I don't know if that was because they were talking with his agent and knew there was no way they were keeping him or what. I just feel bad for the guy because I really liked him and I see it all coming apart for him now and not all of that is due to the injury, a lot of that is because he went to another team where he was just another highly paid mercenary with no ties to the team.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

There's no way he's coming back to Miami now unless he takes a HUGE paycut.

He is taking a pay cut anywhere he goes, he is damaged goods.  But he keeps the signing bonus the Raiders gave him. 

[Spider-Dan]

Well I'm not saying that Wilkins shouldn't have signed a long term contract of course he should have, I'm merely saying that if he had signed a long term contract with Miami instead of the Raiders and gotten hurt, I don't think he'd be in the same situation.

As I understand it, the Raiders' objection is that Wilkins has not been following the prescribed rehab plan, and is going to miss a significant amount of time this season arguably because of that noncompliance.

I don't think there is any NFL team that would be okay with that outcome.

There's no way he's coming back to Miami now unless he takes a HUGE paycut.

Correct.
But that "huge paycut," when added to the monster signing bonus LV gave him, is still more than he would have gotten had he stayed in MIA (and gotten hurt, then failed to follow the rehab plan).

[Pappy13]

As I understand it, the Raiders' objection is that Wilkins has not been following the prescribed rehab plan, and is going to miss a significant amount of time this season arguably because of that noncompliance.

That's not my understanding. My understanding is that the Raiders wanted Wilkins to get a second surgery but Wilkins got a second opinion that said another surgery wasn't necessary. It's perfectly within his rights is my understanding to get a second opinion and to choose which advice to follow. That's just my understanding from what I've heard and read, that may not necessarily be factual, but the whole "incident" thing is blown way out of proportion either way. I don't believe the Dolphins would have released him under those circumstances, but again that's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

[Pappy13]

He is taking a pay cut anywhere he goes, he is damaged goods.  But he keeps the signing bonus the Raiders gave him.  

He's damaged goods in more than one way now. Not only is he injured but the Raiders released him over a dispute about his rehab and now he's filed a grievance against the Raiders with the NFLPA and now there's a nasty rumor about his locker room behavior. Had those 3 last things not happened, he'd be much better off in my humble opinion. Maybe the difference in signing bonus (over what he potentially might have gotten from Miami) was worth it and maybe not.

[CF DolFan]

Reports are that Maxx Crosby made it out like Christian was basically being gay and assaulting people in the showers. I haven't seen anyone reputable report these comments but they have been floating around.

[Denver2]

This whole story is crazy, but it validates us not paying him.

[masterfins]

This whole story is crazy, but it validates us not paying him.

+1

And it shows that Seiler is a really good player, he didn't just benefit from playing along side Wilkins.  There's a variety of reasons Miami should not try to sign him, IMO it would be a big waste of money.