Yesterday morning, I read a report that the Miami Dolphins will likely not put the franchise tag on defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. It was a surprise to me, especially when it was reported that the Dolphins were going to do everything they could to keep Wilkins. Still, I think cooler heads prevailed on this, and the Dolphins realized that they can’t afford Wilkins moving forward.

I believe the Dolphins wanted to slap the franchise tag at $22 million this year and possibly look for a trade partner at the NFL, just the like the Kansas City Chiefs are doing with L’Jarius Snead. I don’t think there is a team willing to not just pay for Wilkins, but also give up the draft pick compensation and the Dolphins, who are $30 million over the cap, can’t feasibly keep Wilkins on the one year franchise tag.

 

I think the Dolphins are making a good business decision here because as good a player as Wilkins is, he isn’t a player teams game plan for and while he did have 9.5 sacks this year most of those sacks came against lesser competition outside of the season finale against the Buffalo Bills. I think general manager Chris Grier came to his senses and felt the money should go elsewhere, and I think it’s a fiscally responsible decision.

 

In the same report on ESPN, it was stated by Dan Graziano that the free agent guards, like Robert Hunt, could get as much as $16 million per year. If that’s the case, then there’s no way the Dolphins are going that high. The Dolphins drafted Hunt in the second round of 2000 and has been the best offensive lineman, which will hurt. I think looking back the Dolphins should have used the 30th pick in the 2000 draft on Hunt instead of cornerback Noah Igbinoghene because the Dolphins could have Hunt on the 5th year option and at least have him for one more year instead of now bracing for his loss in free agency.

 

I know Grier said last week they talked to Hunt and his agent about a contract extension, but Hunt wanted to test the market, and it looks like his decision will pay off for him.

 

Good for him to get a deal like the one he will get.

 

It will be a loss for the Dolphins, but they put themselves in this position with the salary cap with the big deals they gave to Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb, Terron Armstead, and others. The Dolphins the last few years have traded away premium picks for big players and given big contracts and now it’s coming back to bite them at a cost of losing their home-grown players they drafted, and more is coming around the pike.

 

The Dolphins have to make 5th year option decisions on Jalen Phillips and Jaylen Waddle later this off season. They also have quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s contract to address, which I have written they should let him play out the option rather than pay him. The Dolphins also have Jevon Holland, one of the best safeties in the game, entering his contract year so the Dolphins have some tough decisions to make in the next few years starting with this off season.

 

On the positive side, the Dolphins may have a chance to get more draft picks next year with the NFL compensatory formula that gives teams compensation for lost free agents. It’s a complicated formula, but teams that don’t have the cap space, like the Dolphins this year, can’t spend money and lose their own players get anywhere from a 3rd round pick to a 7th round pick. Hunt and Wilkins should help net the Dolphins possibly two 3rd round picks assuming they lose both players and don’t make big time moves in free agency.

 

Sadly, the Dolphins will potentially lose both of their best young players, but this is the cost of going all in. You put constraints on your salary cap and not much draft capital. This will be a potentially painful month of March when free agency starts because of the potential talent drain. It probably is best for the team moving forward.

Still, I wish the team was smarter in some of their other decisions, like not giving Xavien Howard a second contract when didn’t have to or signing an injury prone left tackle in Armstead a couple of years ago. There are other examples of what the Dolphins could have done differently, but they will be paying the price starting this year and now have to find a way to bring in younger talent to replace them. As a fan, it’s a painful time of year when decisions are made like this, but unfortunately, whether we like it or not, it’s part of the game.