Contracts Talks with Tua and Wilkins Will Wait
GM Chris Grier laughed when discussing the number of new contracts the Miami Dolphins will have to negotiate in the foreseeable future.
But one thing the Dolphins will not do is continue having negotiations with the agents for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and defensive tackle Christian Wilkins until the 2023 season is over.
Grier indicated as much during a media session he conducted before practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex on Wednesday.
Wilkins is playing on his fifth-year option in 2023 for a $10.7 million guarantee, but currently is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next March.
Tagovailoa, meanwhile, is in the final year of his rookie deal and the Dolphins picked up his fifth-year option, meaning he's under contract in 2024 for a $23.2 million guarantee, though he also became eligible for a long-term extension this year.
WHY THE DOLPHINS ARE PUTTING OFF NEGOTIATIONS WITH WILKINS AND TUA
Wilkins addressed the media Tuesday and said he had turned his focus to the start of the regular season after conducting a "hold-in" where he didn't participate in team periods in practice or in the preseason games.
"We've had a lot of great dialogue with him and his agent, very positive," Grier said. "We made an offer that we thought was fair, and when you do things like that it has to work for both sides. And so there was never any ill will from each side. I enjoy his agent. We have good conversations. For right now we're going to hold off until in my mind at the end of the season because I don't think it's fair to distract Christian from his goal of what he wants to achieve and for the team."
As for Tagovailoa, he's coming off a breakthrough. season in 2022 when he led the NFL in passer rating at 105.5 and the hope is that not only he can duplicate that kind of performance but also start and finish the season after missing the final two games of the regular season and the playoff game at Buffalo because of a second diagnosed concussion.
"I think just think for him, it's just to let Tua play again," Grier said. "Those things can be a big distraction, family, friends, you guys (the media), everyone constantly asking him about it. His agents and I have had discussions just general but not really about that and just kind of agreed, like, let's just let him play out the season and then we'll attack that in the offseason."
