'All Options' Open with Wilkins

Wilkins is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent but the team might apply the franchise tag on him

INDIANAPOLIS — We're now less than a week away before the deadline for NFL teams to use the franchise or transition tag on an impending unrestricted free agents, and that remains an option for the Miami Dolphins with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.

But it's just one option, GM Chris Grier said Wednesday, even though the goal remains what it's always been, to keep Wilkins in a Dolphins uniform.

The tag deadline is Tuesday, March 5, but Grier will meet with Wilkins' agent, David Mulugheta, at the scouting combine this week to see if the two sides can come to agreement, something they weren't able to do last summer before Wilkins ended up playing on his fifth-year option.

While Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel both have said that Wilkins had "earned the right" to be a free agent, that doesn't mean the possibility of the tag is off the table.

"I think all options are on the table for us," Grier said. "Dave and I have always had good conversations, but I'm just being very transparent with it. I mean, he has earned it. He's had a great season. And so we'll see what happens here as we talk here over the next couple of weeks."

WILKINS A FOUNDATIONAL PIECE FOR DOLPHINS

Wilkins is a foundational piece for the Dolphins, a tone-setter on defense and a leader, and also was the team's first draft pick when they started their massive rebuilding project in 2019.

He has emerged over the years as a top-end defensive tackle, adding a pass-rushing element to his game last season when he produced a career-high nine sacks.

If the Dolphins decide to put the franchise tag on Wilkins, it will cost them $22.1 million and that number will go on their cap immediately.

Wilkins' market value, according to spotrac, was placed at $20.2 million annually.

"We had conversations, and we were close on a deal last offseason and it didn't come together," Grier said. "And so for us, we know what Christian is, the type of person, player, what he brings to the organization. So for us, at the end of the day, it's not what he had to do was, as we were talking and trying to build a team and put together a roster of just trying to work together to find something that was fair to him and to us.

"At the end of the day, we tried and the agent acknowledges it was a very fair offer and felt good and then so we'll see where that takes us this offseason."

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