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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that defensive tackle Christian Wilkins has not participated in team drills during training camp due to ongoing contract negotiations, according to Marques Louie-Jacques.
Wilkins is in the fifth year of his rookie contract and is slated to make $10.7 million this season. Though he has been present at Dolphins team activities throughout the offseason and participated in most, he has not been on the field for practice over the last couple of weeks.
Wilkins is one of the most effective run-stoppers in the league and did not miss a game in each of the last two seasons. In 2022, Wilkins recorded 3.5 sacks, 98 tackles and 16 tackles for loss. He was first in run stop win rate among defensive tackles according to ESPN.
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Wilkins said in May that his contract was not weighing heavily on his preparation for this season, but surely the Dolphins would like to get him back on the field with his teammates as soon as possible.
Miami will have to cough up a pretty penny to retain Wilkins. Three fellow first-round defensive tackles from the 2019 draft, Quinnen Williams, Dexter Lawrence and Jeffery Simmons, all signed four-year extensions worth more than $90 million this offseason.
Christian Wilkins is arguably the Dolphins' best defensive player and with expectations high in Miami this season, they'd be wise to figure out a deal for him before the regular season starts. The Dolphins have built one of the most talented rosters in the league and will battle it out in a tough AFC East.