LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The ink has dried and two newly-signed Las Vegas Raiders have officially joined the team.
In a busy week of NFL free agency, the Raiders signed former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins to a four-year, $110 million contract and former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million deal.
At Raiders headquarters in Henderson, Wilkins and Minshew took the podium to speak about their new chapters with the Silver And Black.
"A lot to be excited about," Wilkins said. "Coach Pierce and his energy and the things the team was able to do last year, towards the end, taking over. There's a lot of great teammates and things to be excited about."
"Excited to get in and compete with a team that I feel like has a chance to be very good," Minshew said. "I played them at the end of the year last year, felt some of that momentum, some of that energy that was building."
The Raiders organization has made a strong first impression on the star 28-year-old defensive lineman and 27-year-old journeyman QB.
"I just love the game, love the grind and you can feel that here," Wilkins said. "People who love ball. You can kind of tell that everybody is accepting of who everybody is and everybody is already themselves so something's just different about this place and how the people go about it."
"I always have two goals for myself everywhere I go," Minshew said. "Get better and have fun. So I look forward to getting here, working really hard, and enjoy it. It seems like there's such a great energy in this building. All the guys are super into it. Just looking forward to being part of it."
Wilkins recorded a defensive tackle record of 98 tackles in the 2022 season and followed it up by totaling a career-high nine sacks last season for the Dolphins. Now he teams up with one of his two favorite players, Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby, to make up one of the league's top defensive line duos.
"There's one big reason that I felt I wanted to come here and that's number 98," Wilkins said. "He's obviously a heck of a player and I got a lot of respect for who he is, how he operates, and how he plays. I decided to be his teammate so I'm just really excited to be here."
In place of injured rookie Anthony Richardson, Minshew led the Colts to a 9-8 record and a playoff berth. Entering a quarterback room with incumbent starter Aidan O'Connell and may soon add a rookie through the draft, Minshew is ready for a competition.
"It's going to be competitive," Minshew said. "They're going to try to put [together] the best quarterback room they can. There's no promises being made. I don't want any guarantees. I just want a chance and I'm excited for the chance I have here."
The Raiders' roster will continue to take shape through free agency and in the draft, which takes place from April 25-27.
WATCH: Full presser with Christian Wilkins and Gardner Minshew
