5 free agents the Vikings will regret not signing in 2024
By Adam Carlson
Free agent No. 2
Christian Wilkins, defensive line
Entering free agency, the Minnesota Vikings had quite a few holes they needed to fill on their roster. Quarterback and edge rusher were at the top of the list, but the team also needed help in the trenches on defense to slow down opposing offenses.
Minnesota did go out and get Jerry Tillery in free agency and bring back Jonathan Bullard but it wouldn't have hurt to add a more physically imposing piece to the Vikings defense. Although his price tag was mighty high, the Vikings could regret not doing more to bring defensive lineman Christian Wilkins to the team.
Wilkins spent five seasons with the Miami Dolphins after he was selected No. 13 overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. He is a familiar face to defensive coordinator Brian Flores, which should have helped to entice the big defender to come to Minnesota.
The Las Vegas Raiders opened their wallets wide for Wilkins, agreeing to terms on a four-year, $110 million contract. $27,5 million per year is a serious investment in a player but when a player can be a game-changer, a contract like that isn't as painful.
Coming off a year that saw him play all 17 games and set career-high numbers in quarterback hits, fumble recoveries, and sacks, there's a lot to love about the 28-year-old defensive lineman's potential to bring success wherever he goes.
After spending a lot of salary cap space on linebackers, the Minnesota Vikings may not have wanted to dive deep enough into their pockets to make something happen with Wilkins. If that is the case and he plays well in Vegas, there may be some regret by the front office for not making a stronger push to get him in a purple and gold jersey.