The Las Vegas Raiders shocked the league on July 24 by releasing defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, a former first-round pick out of Clemson who had signed a four-year, $110 million contract with the organization just one offseason earlier. He played only five games.
A Jones fracture in October 2024 shut him down for the rest of his debut season. When Las Vegas determined a second surgery was necessary, Wilkins refused. The Raiders voided $35.2 million in remaining guaranteed money.
The team designated him a terminated vested veteran, and Wilkins filed a grievance through the NFL Players Association to challenge the move.
Around that same time, reports emerged of a separate locker room incident involving a teammate, one that muddied an already messy situation.
By Tuesday of training camp week, a Raiders defensive lineman stepped up to address it, and his response was not what anyone around the facility expected.
Wild: Raiders DT Adam Butler gave a shocking response when asked about Christian Wilkins getting cut for attempting to kiss a teammate.
“If you’re going through something, talk to someone, get some help, and CONSIDER THERAPY.”
😳😳😳pic.twitter.com/t8R1DmnUKf https://t.co/5phYnM6mwC
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 20, 2026
How Adam Butler’s Response to Questions About Wilkins Caught Everyone Off Guard
NFL miami dolphins christian wilkins
Miami Dolphins DL Christian Wilkins. Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler, an undrafted Vanderbilt product now in his third season with the organization and ninth year in the NFL, fielded questions from reporters at Tuesday’s practice session about his former interior linemate.
He did not take long to pivot.
“We’ve pretty much just kinda moved on from the situation,” Butler told reporters via Nick Walters of Channel 13 News Las Vegas. “I don’t want to comment further on it.”
Then he kept going.
“Whatever you’re going through as a person, athlete, non-athlete, whoever, whatever your struggle is, if you got something going on in life, talk to somebody,” Butler said. “Get some therapy, whatever your deal is, it’s your deal. Somebody out there in this world full of billions of people is willing to listen. They’re willing to listen, hear you out and help you work through whatever you need to work through. Don’t make any hasty decisions. Get help.”
Those words landed differently because of what had emerged the day before. ESPN’s Adam Schefter appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and reported that Wilkins had playfully attempted to kiss a teammate on the head inside a team meeting room.
The teammate found it offensive and filed a formal complaint with the Raiders’ human resources department, which opened an internal investigation.
One source described the act as “playful.” The teammate did not see it that way.
NFL insider Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team then went further on the NFL Spotlight podcast.
“Around league circles, it’s pretty well known that whatever happened with Christian Wilkins, the other player has been Adam Butler,” Meirov said. “That’s been known around the NFL.”
Head coach Pete Carroll declined to comment when asked about the HR complaint.
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Why the NFLPA Grievance Process Will Keep This Story Open for Some Time
Adam Butler Las Vegas Raiders
Adam Butler Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders voided Wilkins’ guarantees citing failure to maintain his physical condition.
Las Vegas faces $29.775 million in 2026 dead cap regardless of the grievance outcome. If Wilkins prevails, an additional $21.15 million in charges follows.
A ruling in the Raiders’ favor would produce a $14.1 million partial credit.
Back in May, Carroll had said this of Wilkins to reporters: “He’s done everything he needs to do. He’s here early working hard, but we’re still working on it.”
That quote could prove significant in front of an arbitrator.
The NFLPA does not walk away from disputes of this size. Wilkins, still unsigned, has not signaled any intention to settle. When arbitration begins, both the locker room incident and the injury disagreement will be put under equal scrutiny, and nothing about the posture from either camp suggests this ends without a fight.