The Miami Dolphins took some shots when Christian Wilkins left as a free agent last offseason, and those shots really haven’t stopped that much even if the noise isn’t as consistent.
But one year later, it’s difficult to blame the team for not going where the Las Vegas Raiders went in handing Wilkins his massive four-year, $112 million contract.
And after Wilkins sustained the first significant injury of his career, it’s actually looking like the Dolphins made the right decision and it was the Raiders who maybe should be criticized.
In a Sports Illustrated story published Wednesday on the five worst free agent contract signings of 2024, Wilkins made the list at number 5.
“It’s somewhat unfair to put Wilkins on the list, considering so much of the disappointment surrounding his 2024 season is because of a foot injury that limited him to five games,” reporter Matt Verderame wrote. “Still, the Raiders doled out $110 million, including $82.75 million guaranteed over four years. Those numbers were only eclipsed by Kirk Cousins in free agency, and not approached by any other defensive player. In the five games he played, Wilkins totaled two sacks and 11 solo tackles. If Wilkins can come back and rebound in his age-29 season, perhaps the contract won’t prove to be a bust. However, if he’s not fantastic in 2025, his pact could be another regret for the Raiders.”
WHY THE DOLPHINS LET WILKINS WALK
Wilkins was a very good player for the Dolphins, even if he never made the Pro Bowl or was selected an All-Pro, but the truth is he never was a game-changing interior defensive lineman like Aaron Donald or Chris Jones or even his former Clemson teammate Dexter Lawrence.
Maybe Wilkins can deliver big plays for the Raiders in 2025, and it certainly won’t hurt that his defensive line partner Maxx Crosby now has a massive new contract that’s made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
For the Dolphins, Wilkins’ injury was painful in that it likely pushed down the compensatory pick they will get for his free agent loss from a third-round selection to a fourth-rounder, though that won’t become official until the league awards the comp picks likely sometime over the next week.
The Dolphins are expected to get a third-round compensatory pick for the loss of Robert Hunt, who signed a five-year, $100 million contract with the Carolina Panthers and made the Pro Bowl for the first time in his first year with his new team.
