Former Lawyer Mike Florio Shares His Legal Leaning on Christian Wilkins, Raiders Squabble

The Raiders have parted ways with Christian Wilkins, but they’ll be connected to their former $110 million defensive tackle in the legal arena for the foreseeable future.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it could take years to get a legal determination on the $35+ million in guaranteed money the Raiders are trying to avoid paying Wilkins.

But there’s also a chance one of the sides has a strong case and ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio, who is a former lawyer, believes Wilkins might have the upper hand in a likely legal squabble.

Florio loves a good contract discussion and he believes the Raiders are going to have a hard time winning the case based on the information available at this time.

Florio said he found nothing obvious in Wilkins’ contract to suggest the Raiders could avoid paying him based on the notion that Wilkins didn’t want to have a second surgery.

Per Florio, the language in Wilkins’ contract reads as follows…

“If at any time Player: 1. does not report to Club; 2. does not practice or play with Club; 3. leaves Club without prior written approval (including, but not limited to retirement or incarceration, unless such incarceration is for no more than 72 hours, provided that Player does not miss a game during such incarceration); 4. does not honor any terms of the Contract (including any addenda thereto); 5. is suspended by the NFL or Club for conduct detrimental, violation of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, violation of the NFL Policy on Substances of Abuse, or violation of the NFL Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances; 6. violates any other agreements between Club and Player; 7. is injured or dies as a result of a breach of Paragraph 3 of the Contract or as a result of participation in hazardous activities which involve a significant risk of personal injury and are non-football in nature (including but not limited to skydiving, hang gliding, mountain climbing, auto racing, motorcycling, scuba diving, skiing, and any other sports): 8. engages in egregious conduct judged by Club to significantly and adversely affect or reflect on Club, in Club’s sole discretion; or 9. commits any Forfeitable Breach (as defined in Article 4, Section 9(a) of the CBA), then Player shall be in default {‘Default’) and the Skill, Injury and Cap Guarantee shall be null and void and Player shall only be eligible to earn his remaining stated Paragraph 5 salary on a weekly, non-guaranteed basis, if Player is on Club’s roster for the 2025 League Year and meets all ordinary criteria for earning Paragraph 5 salary, subject to any applicable fees. It is expressly understood and agreed that Player’s waiver of rights to certain unpaid amounts as indicated above are express provisions of this Agreement and, but for these provisions, Club would not have executed the Contract. Player’s failure to report to Club, practice with Club or play with Club due solely to an NFL suspension of two games or fewer for an in-game violation of NFL Playing Rules shall not constitute a Default.”

But if the case was really a slam dunk for the NFLPA, why would the Raiders have chosen to take this path with Wilkins?

The answer to that question might be simple.

We don’t know all the facts.

New details will emerge in the weeks and months ahead and it might be that the Raiders aren’t basing their legal position on the fact that Wilkins didn’t want to have a second surgery.

There was reportedly a recent incident that occurred between Wilkins and at least one person in the organization, and for reasons unknown, no one has been willing to speak on whatever it was that unfolded – not even anonymously.

Whatever happened or didn’t happen, it’s a safe bet that there is more to the Wilkins saga than what has been reported in the first 24 hours since his release.

Whether or not those details will affect Wilkins’ money will apparently be determined over the course of the next couple of years.

x: @raidersbeat