Bleacher Report has Colts Landing Dolphins Defender in Free Agency
Free agency is officially upon the NFL. All 32 teams must evaluate who to retain or let test the open market. Now that the franchise tag deadline has passed, squads like the Indianapolis Colts are monitoring their cap situation and deciding which in-house free agents they want to retain.
Names like cornerback Kenny Moore II, safety Julian Blackmon, and defensive tackle Grover Stewart still haven't received new contracts. Despite this, Indy likely wants to retain them if it makes sense financially.
One player in particular, Stewart, showed how valuable he was for the interior defensive line and stopping opposing ground attacks. But Kristopher Knox from Bleacher Report believes that the Colts have a better fit than Stewart for the defensive tackle position next to Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner.
In his recent "Ranking Best Fits for Top Defensive Players in 2024 Free Agency Class" article, Knox has Indy as a destination for Miami Dolphins free agent interior defender Christian Wilkins.
So too, may the Indianapolis Colts. If Grover Steward departs in free agency, Wilkins could slot in next to DeForest Buckner to form one of the most prolific defensive tackle combinations in the conference.
According to Omar Kelly of FanNation, the Colts were interested in acquiring Wilkins in a trade that would have sent Jonathan Taylor to Miami. Taylor signed an extension with Indianapolis instead, but now the Colts may have another shot at adding Wilkins to Gus Bradley's defense.
Knox's piece highlights the possibility of the Dolphins retaining Wilkins with a fresh contract since they didn't franchise tag the veteran. He also has the Cincinnati Bengals possibly picking him up and putting him on the defensive line with D.J. Reader.
But, back to Knox's breakdown of the situation with Indy. The acquisition of Wilkins does make sense if Stewart walks in free agency with no retaining contract. However, it would cost a pretty penny to sign the former 2019 first-round selection out of Clemson.
Spotrac has Wilkins' market value at a vibrant $20.2 million annually. After Indy just franchise-tagged star receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for $21.8 million (fully guaranteed), the fit of Wilkins doesn't make much sense for a general manager like Chris Ballard. Also, Stewart will cost far less than Wilkins, possibly notching around $14.5 million annually if re-signed to Indianapolis.
Before the tagging of Pittman, Indianapolis had around $73 million in cap space. Now, they rank seventh in the NFL with $53 million. While that is still a solid amount of money, it might be for retaining the aforementioned in-house free agents.
While Wilkins is a few years younger than Stewart and possesses better pass-rushing prowess (9.0 sacks in 2023), Indy doesn't necessarily need that on the interior defensive line. Names like Samson Ebukam (9.5), Kwity Paye (8.5), and Dayo Odeyingbo (8.0) all recorded eight-plus sacks in 2023, along with Buckner (8.0).
While it's enticing to think about Wilkins fitting Gus Bradley's defense and working with Charlie Partridge in the trenches, it's not a high probability this acquisition will happen. The Colts believe in Stewart and may want to see how he develops with Partridge at the helm.
The Bottom Line
Free agency always spurs headlines and speculation about which players could fit with new teams and fresh situations around them. While the Colts can use additional pass-rushing talent, they aren't a team to spend a massive amount on that for interior help.
The edge-rushing on the roster, paired with the new signing of Partridge, points to Indianapolis trying to retain who they already have on the defensive front from left to right. It will be interesting to see what goes down, as anything can technically happen. But don't expect Ballard to fork over a whopping $20 million per year for Wilkins when Stewart is ready to be re-signed and provides valuable run-defending capabilities for a Colts defense that desperately needs it.
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