The Miami Dolphins have 29 free agents that are set to hit free agency in March, but defensive lineman Christian Wilkins is, by far, the best of them.
Since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2019 out of Clemson, Wilkins has recorded 355 tackles (43 for a loss), 50 quarterback hits, 20.5 sacks, 19 passes defended, six fumbles recovered, four forced fumbles and an interception.
With the league’s window to place a franchise tag opening on Tuesday, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported on Wednesday that the Dolphins will likely lean that way if they can’t come to a long-term deal.
“The Dolphins don’t plan to let Christian Wilkins leave, and if that means franchising him, that’s likely what they’ll do,” Graziano said on NFL Live. “The problem is the Dolphins are in pretty big cap trouble. As of right now, they’re projected to be $50 million or more over the cap once that cap is finally settled, and they would have to clear that much room just to get under the cap. And, if they tag Wilkins, they have to clear another $20-21 million to get him under the cap. So, [the Dolphins have] a lot of work to do before they can do that. They might be better off signing him long-term before the window ends.”
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said after the team was eliminated back in January that Wilkins deserved to be a free agent after betting on himself and performing well in 2023 (career highs in quarterback hits and sacks), but they should still be trying to keep one of their best defensive pieces.
Not only does Wilkins impress on the field, but his attitude and work ethic in the offseason and the week leading up to a game is a great role model for the players around him. This should be a guy that Miami pays as an example of how they want players on their team to act.
