Christian Wilkins was one of the main players Miami lost in free agency as a result of its rush to stay under the salary ceiling. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, the 6-foot-4, 310-pound defensive tackle and the Las Vegas Raiders reached an agreement on Monday for a four-year, $110 million contract that includes $84.75 million guaranteed.
Wilkins is a formidable run-stopper and was perhaps the Dolphins’ best player last season who wasn’t Tyreek Hill. He earned the most tackles of any defensive lineman since 2019 and had an above-average 78.5 run-stop grade in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus.
The Dolphins, led by Wilkins, had one of the best run defenses in the league the previous year, ranking sixth in rushing yards per carry (3.8) and seventh in rushing yards allowed (97.1). Miami will need to play excellent run defense in 2024 because they will face six games against the top ten rushers from 2023.
Although Wilkins made significant progress in this past season, his ability to rush the passer remained a major concern. He achieved career highs in pass-rush win percentage (13 percent), sacks (nine), quarterback hits (23), and pressures (61), according to Pro Football Focus. Despite being double-teamed on 65% of his snaps, he managed to do this.
However, Wilkins’ influence extends beyond the box score. As Miami’s union representative since his rookie season, he was the team captain and the lifeblood of the defense, according to the Palm Beach Post.
The Dolphins refrained from franchise-tagging Wilkins because doing so would have worsened their salary-cap shortfall, making it much more difficult to meet the deadline on Wednesday. In order to have enough cash to sign quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is anticipated to sign a huge deal extension, the organization also needed to create room.
The pass-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel, who has signed to a contract with the Minnesota Vikings, will also be lost, leaving the Dolphins with enormous voids to fill on the defensive line. Pass-rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips are still available for Miami, but they are both recovering from injuries that ended their seasons.
No free agent will be able to fill Wilkins’ spot, even though the Dolphins have some leeway to sign other players.
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