Two key Dolphins players are due for extensions, as both Tua Tagovailoa and Christian Wilkins have talked with the team about a new deal. However, Miami is not planning on negotiating with either player during the season, meaning they will pick up talks in the offseason.
General manager Chris Grier told the media that he is happy with where talks stand with both players and are comfortable waiting until after the season. For Tagovailoa specifically, Grier said they want to keep him focused on the season after an injury-riddled 2022.
“I think just think for him, it’s just to let Tua play again,” Grier said, via Alain Poupart of All Dolphins. “Those things can be a big distraction, family, friends, you guys (the media), everyone constantly asking him about it. His agents and I have had discussions just general but not really about that and just kind of agreed, like, let’s just let him play out the season and then we’ll attack that in the offseason.”
Since Miami picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, the quarterback is under contract through 2024. The fourth-year quarterback suffered multiple concussions last season and had a career year despite playing in just 13 games.
Wilkins, however, is set to hit free agency in the offseason, but Miami extended defensive lineman Zach Sieler first. Still, Grier is comfortable with where talks with Wilkins is entering the 2023 season.
“We’ve had a lot of great dialogue with him and his agent, very positive,” he said. “We made an offer that we thought was fair, and when you do things like that it has to work for both sides.”
However, Grier maintained that he doesn’t want there to be any distractions during the season.
“For right now we’re going to hold off until in my mind at the end of the season because I don’t think it’s fair to distract Christian from his goal of what he wants to achieve and for the team,” Grier said.
