The Miami Dolphins entered the offseason determined to keep their core roster together, including standout defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. However, with NFL free agency fast approaching, there’s now reportedly a chance Wilkins has played his last snap in a Dolphins’ uniform.
Wilkins, the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, is one of the best three-down defensive tackles in the NFL. The 28-year-old hasn’t earned a Pro Bowl selection in his career, but the 6-foot-4 interior defensive lineman still rates as one of the best players at his position.
- Miami Dolphins cap space 2024: -$31.638 million
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After dominating as an interior run defender in 2022, Wilkins elevated his game as an interior pass rusher this past season. Across 17 games, he set career-highs in quarterback hits (23) and sacks (nine), while posting one of the highest ESPN pass-rush win rates (13 percent) at his position.
At the start of the offseason, it was viewed as a foregone conclusion that Miami would either re-sign Wilkins or keep him from hitting the open market by using the franchise tag. However, the growing belief coming out of the NFL Combine is that Miami could now be in jeopardy of losing one of its top defenders.
According to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, Wilkins is unlikely to be franchise-tagged in 2024 which will allow him to test his market in NFL free agency.
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“The one that’s very interest, who here around the lobby people do not beleive will be franchise tagged and people thought he would, Christian Wilkins in Miami. There’s a belief that this thing will end up him going to free agency. If that ends up happening, he’ll be a pretty coveted free agent on the open market.”
Ari Meirov on Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins
- Christian Wilkins stats (career): 50 QB hits, 43 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks
Using the franchise tag on Wilkins in 2024 would cost the Dolphins $18.937 million guaranteed. For a team that is more than $30 million over the NFL salary cap, it poses a significant problem. With free agency opening on March 11, Miami only has a few more days to negotiate exclusively with Jones before other clubs get into it.
Wilkins hitting the open market should be of even greater concern for the Dolphins because the Kansas City Chiefs are increasingly confident they will re-sign All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones. If Jones is signed before free agency opens, Wilkins will be the most in-demand defensive lineman available and that could force the Dolphins into a bidding war they may not win.
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