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Packers Sign Former Dolphins First-Round Star DT to Veteran Minimum Deal After One Year Away from Football — Medical Evaluation Pending

 

 

The Green Bay Packers have quietly made an intriguing late-offseason move, agreeing to a veteran minimum contract with a former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle, pending the results of a routine medical evaluation.

For Green Bay, the decision reflects both calculated risk and potential reward.

The veteran, now 30 years old, did not play during the 2025 season and has remained one of the more notable names lingering on the free-agent market. Yet around the league, many evaluators still believe his ceiling remains remarkably high if his health cooperates.

Before his year away from football, the defensive tackle had built a reputation as one of the most disruptive interior defenders in the NFL.

Originally selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, that player is Christian Wilkins.

The former Clemson Tigers standout quickly developed into a cornerstone of Miami’s defensive front through his blend of strength, quickness, and relentless motor.

His résumé already carries impressive credentials.

Wilkins was part of two national championship teams during his collegiate career with Clemson, where he emerged as one of the most dominant defensive linemen in college football before transitioning to the professional stage.

Once in the NFL, he became known for his ability to collapse pockets from the interior while maintaining discipline against the run.

Defensive coordinators consistently praised Wilkins’ versatility — a rare interior defender capable of absorbing double teams on early downs while still generating interior pressure when offenses shifted into passing situations.

That profile is precisely why the Packers see potential value in this signing.

Head coach Matt LaFleur has long emphasized building defensive fronts capable of controlling games at the line of scrimmage. Adding Wilkins, even on a minimum deal, offers another experienced body with proven high-level production.

If healthy, his interior disruption could help create additional one-on-one opportunities for Green Bay’s edge rushers — a dynamic that has historically fueled some of the league’s most aggressive defenses.

Of course, the key variable remains health.

Wilkins’ absence from the 2025 season raised questions throughout the league, and Green Bay’s agreement with the veteran defender remains contingent upon medical clearance following a comprehensive evaluation by the team’s doctors.

For the Packers, however, the calculus is simple.

A veteran minimum contract carries little financial risk, while the upside of regaining a former first-round defensive tackle who once played at a Pro Bowl level could dramatically strengthen the defensive rotation.

In many ways, this signing reflects the kind of opportunistic roster building Green Bay has long embraced.

And if Christian Wilkins proves healthy enough to return to form, the Packers may have just discovered one of the most intriguing low-cost defensive additions of the offseason.

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Sources Say Packers Are "Finalizing Terms" to Trade Jayden Reed to Boost Pass Rush with Defensive Player Who Has 243 Tackles
The Green Bay Packers have been selective with their free agency additions this offseason, bringing in cornerback Benjamin St. Juste, former division rival from the Minnesota Vikings Javon Hargrave, and return specialist Skyy Moore. However, after the departures of Rashan Gary and Kingsley Enagbare through trade and free agency respectively, the edge rusher group is certainly looking a bit thinner than the team would otherwise want beyond All-Pro Micah Parsons. So, it is not shocking that rumors have already surfaced claiming that the Packers are “interested” in Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Josh Sweat. However, given that Green Bay is not exactly blessed with draft capital in 2026, having given up their first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 in the trade that had them acquire Parsons from the Dallas Cowboys, it stands that general manager Brian Gutekunst may well be wary of moving any and all draft picks. Especially for a franchise that is notorious for its draft-and-develop approach. Cardinals don’t have a natural slot receiver after Greg Dortch hit free agency.Josh Sweat for Jayden Reed, who says no? — Mark Oldacres (@MarkOldacres) March 12, 2026 So, a proposal coming from Cheesehead TV and The Packers Wire’s Mark Oldacres suggests that Green Bay could consider moving receiver Jayden Reed in return for Sweat, citing the Cardinals’ need in the slot and the Packers’ desire to bolster the pass rush. Mark Oldacres@MarkOldacresCardinals don’t have a natural slot receiver after Greg Dortch hit free agency. Josh Sweat for Jayden Reed, who says no?12:48 pm · 12 Mar 2026 Why Would the Packers Trade Jayden Reed? It has been suggested by some Packers media that the team could quietly look to move off of Reed this offseason. The former second-round pick has been productive when on the field, but with imminent extensions likely for wideout Christian Watson and tight end Tucker Kraft, it could be difficult to justify also handing one to Reed, especially given the presence of 2025 first-round pick Matthew Golden, who is expected to have a more substantial role in 2026. The Packers also have players like Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, and Edgerrin Cooper to consider – all of whom are playing at a Pro Bowl level, even if none have made one – who will be up for a contract renewal at the end of this season. So signing Reed to a long-term deal could be complicated and financially unfeasible. Josh Sweat Would Boost the Packers’ Edge Rushing Corps Sweat, on the other hand, has three years remaining on his deal – which could easily become two with an early release – and would provide Green Bay with some short-to-medium-term help on the edge as the team looks to capitalize on their Super Bowl window. The 28-year-old had 12 sacks last season and has managed a total of 37.5 over the past four years. In a defense that will be focused on stopping the likes of Parsons, having a top-of-the-range secondary edge rusher like Sweat could be even more beneficial. Sweat would face fewer double teams and have less specific defensive focus directed on him, allowing him to roam free one-on-one for much of the season, Parsons’ health permitting. And for the price of a receiver who is out of contract at the end of the year, it could make a lot of sense for GB – even if they have to throw in another Day 3 pick in 2027 as a sweetener.      

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