Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that last summer, the Miami Dolphins offered Chrisitan Wilkins a contract that would have paid him in the Top 10 of all defensive tackles in the NFL. The 10th highest-paid defensive tackle was Kenny Clark of the Green Bay Packers, who paid him an average of $17.5 million a season. So, Wilkins would have been paid more than that. How much more, we don’t know, but it would have been Top 10 at his position money.
Barry also reports that the guaranteed money would have been more than $40 million, and only ten defensive tackles currently in the NFL have contracts with $40 million or more guaranteed.
NEW: More news, a bit more clarity on the Wilkins situation, Miami's continued openness to a return and where it stands.https://t.co/FnDnpeElLg
And Dolphins cap, draft nuggets:— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) March 5, 2024
It is important to remember that even though Miami isn’t using the franchise tag on Wilkins, they can still re-sign him during free agency, and it isn’t for certain that he has played his final game in Miami.
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. When the Dolphins and Wilkins couldn’t agree to a long-term deal last summer prior to training camp, Wilkins held a sit-in during training camp last season, during which he didn’t participate in team drills or preseason games.
Miami then gave a long-term deal to Zach Sieler, whose 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, Wilkins, and his team were close last offseason on a long-term deal, and he was hopeful.
The deadline to use the franchise tag is today (Wednesday March 5th) at 4pm. The legal tampering period for players to talk to other teams begins next Monday March 11th, and free agency officially begins next Wednesday March 13th at Noon Eastern time.
Its like I figured. Wilkins wants a big payday and that is more than Miami can offer.
I’ve been phins fan for almost 48 years, since I was 7 years old. If they get rid of Christian Wilkins,I’ll will no longer root for them. Wilkins is heart and soul of team hands down and homegrown. Ya don’t let players you drafted, especially someone of Wilkins caliber. Plus ya wanna pay tua , who’s just not worth what there going to pay him. Also how many QBs from Alabama has ever done anything n NFL besides Ken stabler. Bama QBs r overrated and if dolphins were smart they’d trade for Justin Fields, cuz he can improvise & use legs. Plus he’s developing as passer and anybody can throw to hill and waddle. Ya pay Wilkins whose an absolute monster.but dolphins r just
Dumb organization, cuz ya don’t go out & trade for someone & then give them biggest contact on team. Ya pay players you develop first and then pay someone else on another team afterwards. If dolphins would hire me we’d win Superbowls on constant basis. Ya payed CB Jones more $ than Howard and how did that turn out. Plus Jones wasn’t that good anyways. Definitely not better than Howard. On Howard situation. He said he wasn’t going to take pay cut and said would you take pay cut if boss asked you to. If I wasn’t doing my job correctly, couldn’t help but get paid less, at least that’s how it works n real world. Plus tua situation. How do you have Dan Marino n phins organization & don’t draft someone just like him n Justin Herbert. He’s pretty much Marino clone, especially knowing tuas injury history and lack of success from other bama QBs that have failed n NFL. Ya don’t draft tua when you have Marino clone n Herbert, should have been easy decision on which QB to draft. Put Herbert n Miami & dolphins make playoffs every year and contend for Superbowls on yearly basis. Tuas garbage & just doesn’t have it. If course he may b more accurate than Herbert, but accuracy can b taught. Just ask Josh Allen. But like I said I will stop rooting for phins if they don’t pay Wilkins and especially pay tua over 50 million a year. Dolphins r dumbest organization if they do that. Tua can’t win against good teams,we already know that. With fields running abilities and growing ass passer ,phins would b much better off. R draft pennix who’s going to b an absolute star n future. I’m saying pennix will eventually b best qB n draft this year. Like I said I’ve been dolphins fan for almost 50 years and phins can’t even draft a decent QB since Marino retired. It’s pretty easy to evaluate if QB is going to b good r not. Just ask packers who’ve had 3 superstar QBs in almost 30 years, but dolphins can’t find a decent QB,cuz just bunch of morons running organization. Ross has been complete joke as owner, cause all he cares about is who’s coming to game, not who’s playing it. Hire Marino as coach r something so he can b on sidelines. Cuz he would absolutely go off on somebody for not doing job, just like he did when he was playing. Hopefully phins sign Wilkins,if not. No longer dolphins fan & I breathe and eat dolphins football since I was just kid. When evaluating QBs . You have to really ask yourself, can this guy win Superbowls without great supporting casts, ala mahomes. It’s easy to do people,it’s not rocket science either.
Can you imagine fields n Mike McDaniels offense, he’s perfect fit & he was with 49ers when they drafted Lance,fields is much better than Lance and would b absolutele monster n our offense and bears supposedely don’t want lots for fields. Our offense would b unstoppable, cuz of fields ability to scramble and throw.
Chicago has a huge need at DT and has the cap.🤞