Star defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is entering the final year of his contract with the Dolphins this season and is in line for a much-deserved payday. However, due to taking their time with the deal, the Dolphins will likely have to pay a premium to maintain Wilkins’ services. 

After several marquee defensive tackles agreed to new deals this offseason, the Dolphins are likely looking at a deal in the ballpark of $20M per year if they want to keep Wilkins in Miami for the foreseeable future. While this sounds like a hefty price tag: it is worth every last cent. 

Wilkins has improved each year since the Dolphins drafted him in 2019, with Wilkins totaling 187 tackles and eight sacks over the past two seasons as he’s proven himself as one of the best run stoppers in football. Wilkins’ 98 tackles last year were also the MOST EVER by a defensive lineman.

Aside from the fact that he is a tremendous player, extending Wilkins would be a good move for the Dolphins for multiple other reasons: with the most prevalent at the moment is that extending Wilkins would roughly generate an additional $5M in cap space. That extra money could come in handy if the Dolphins decide to pursue Dalvin Cook, or any other free agent available for that matter. 

Locking Wilkins in on a long-term deal would also seemingly set the Dolphins pass rushing core in place, with Wilkins, Phillips, and Chubb all being under contract for an additional two seasons after this year. While Wilkins’ sack total may not be eye-popping numbers, the attention he demands and the impact it has is undeniable. Keeping Wilkins around would help make life easier for the Dolphins’ pass rushers and maintain the stout run defense the Dolphins have had recently. 

Wilkins brings an infectious energy to the table that you love to see from a player of his caliber, and given Fangio’s praise of his intellect, I very much expect the Dolphins to do the right thing and extend their star defensive tackle.