An unexpected twist hits the NFL free-agent market, with reports indicating that the Dolphins are unlikely to franchise tag defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, as ESPN revealed on Sunday. This development comes after earlier off-season signals hinted at Wilkins being retained under a one-year contract.
With Tuesday marking the deadline for NFL teams to utilize their one tag each, Wilkins, aged 28, emerges from his career-best season. He tallied personal highs of 23 quarterback hits and nine sacks in the last campaign while starting every game over the past three years.
Although not adorned with All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors, Wilkins may command a lucrative deal, potentially rivaling last season’s market benchmarks. Notably, four defensive tackles secured four-year contracts exceeding $87.5 million each, setting a high bar.
Meanwhile, the Bengals’ Tee Higgins and the Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed are poised as the initial tag recipients this offseason. Sneed, reportedly open to a trade if an extension eludes him, aligns with the Chiefs’ priority of extending defensive tackle Chris Jones first.
The defensive tackle tag carries a value of $22.1 million. However, the Dolphins find themselves $31 million above the $255.4 million salary cap, necessitating cap compliance by March 13, per spotrac.com.
General manager Chris Grier, speaking at the NFL combine last week, hinted at retaining Wilkins. “I think all options are on the table for us,” Grier noted. “He has earned [a contract]. He’s had a great season. So we’ll see what happens here as we talk over the next couple of weeks.”
