During his five-year run in Miami, Christian Wilkinsserved as an impactful contributor in a full-time starting role. His big-ticket free agent deal with the Raiders did not go according to plan, however. 
Wilkins – who inked a four-year, $110MM deal last spring – was limited to just five games in 2024. Multiple foot injuries (along with the decision not to undergo surgery for the second one) were among the reasons Vegas’ new regime elected to move on. Wilkins was released roughly one month ago, and he remains unsigned with just days remaining until Week 1.
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Reports about an incident with a Raiders teammate – which resulted in an HR complaint – came out alongside other alleged episodes back to Wilkins’ college days. A grievance has been filed over the matter of his remaining guarantees, something which will have notable cap consequences for Vegas regardless of how it plays out. Other teams are free to pursue a deal at any time, though. A reunion in Miami is not imminent, but the door could be open to one.
“I don’t think we would ever close our minds on anything,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said when asked about Wilkins (via Barry Jackson the Miami Herald). “Haven’t had any conversations about it. We would be open to it because while he was here, he was a very good player for us.”
With roster cuts in the rearview, it would come as a surprise if the Dolphins were to make any major additions this close to the start of the campaign. The team already has one major DT contract on the books in the form of the recent Zach Sielerextension, and Miami’s first-round pick in this year’s draft was used on Kenneth Grant. Those two figure to play prominent roles along the defensive interior for years to come. The Dolphins are also currently near the bottom of the NFL in terms of cap space ($4.33MM).
Wilkins, 29, was a strong run-stopping presence during his Miami tenure and easily set a new career high with nine sacks in 2023. That figure helped make him one of the top free agents on the market last spring, something which is certainly not the case at the moment. It will be interesting to see if Wilkins finds a suitor over the coming days, and whether or not the Dolphins turn their attention his way at any point.