Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network is reporting the Miami Dolphins will NOT use the franchise tag on superstar defensive tackle and are letting Wilkins become an unrestricted free agent.

On February 21st, Dan Graziano of ESPN reported on ESPN NFL Live that the Dolphins plan on keeping Christian Wilkins, and they will franchises tag him if they have to. He said Miami doesn’t plan to let him leave, even with the salary cap trouble they are in.

Wilkins ended the 2023 season with nine sacks and 65 tackles. A career high for sacks and a career low for tackles in a single season. The Dolphins worked on a long-term deal with Wilkins all of last offseason, and Wilkins held a sit-in during training camp last season where he didn’t participate in team drills or preseason games.

Miami then gave a long-term deal to Zach Sieler who’s contract was set to expire at the same time as Wilkins to ensure that they wouldn’t lose both players. Just this week at the NFL Scouting Combine Grier stated that he and Wilkins and his team were close last offseason on a long term deal and he was hopeful. This new news goes against that, and it appears Chrisitan Wilkins has played his last game for the Miami Dolphins.

With the Dolphins unlikely able to re-sign Wilkins and him leaving the organization, the Dolphins have another hole to fill on their defensive line. With Raekwon Davis and Andrew Van Ginkel also free agents, and Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips missing most if not all of next season, the Dolphins pass rush and front seven needs to be completely rebuilt.

Chris Grier with pick #21 in the draft may look to add a defensive tackle or edge rusher to help this position, and that would probably be wise at this point. Miami may also look in free agency at veterans to sign on the cheap to one-year deals to be a stop gap to fill the void.