In the dog days of training camp, Wilkins showed why he was one of the team’s top free agent signings this offseason. Lined up next to three-time Pro Bowler Maxx Crosby, the football landscape – including the Raiders staff – believes the duo can become one of the top pass-rushing tandems in the league.
“You watch [Wilkins] practice, I mean, it’s a thing of beauty when you have two of your best players that work as hard as anybody on the team,” Pierce said. “But more importantly, he’s a perfectionist. … But what I love about him is the teammate. He’s a great teammate. He’s a good person, man. You see him bring over a lot of these young defensive tackles and work with them on the side, not selfish at all. He wants to win.”
“He’s a great leader. I think he was a leader when he was a rookie in his own way,” said defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who also coached Wilkins on the Dolphins. “Now he’s had success in this league, and you can see his leadership skills, how he’s matured. Not saying he was immature before, but how he’s matured over time. And I know this, the players gravitate to him, coaching staff gravitates to him. He’s doing a good job for us.”