The NFL’s regular season is over, which for most teams, means it’s time to start figuring out plans for the offseason.
NFL free agency is a huge part of the process, and along with the NFL Draft, it has everyone preparing for what should be a very active couple of months.
We’ve officially come up with our own contract projections for the NFL’s top free agents that include context behind each player’s 2023 season, the likelihood of a franchise tag, the projection itself, and the first-year cap hit for a team that’s “all-in” and is needing to reduce that first-year hit in order to maximize their cap dollars.
So, without further ado, let’s check out the projection for Miami Dolphins defensive lineman, Christian Wilkins.
Christian Wilkins 2024 Contract Projection
It’s a good time to be an elite defensive lineman.
Although Aaron Donald has been a revelation on the defensive front and stands alone as a market outlier, the league has noticed the importance of a dominant inside presence and has paid accordingly. Just last offseason, four defensive anchors signed extensions with their teams, establishing a clear market of $22,500,000-$24,000,000 for a second-contract stud defensive tackle.
Since being drafted in the first round by Miami in 2019, Wilkins has started his entire career and only missed two games. He’s a high-motor player that is extremely disruptive in run defense, who needed to show a little more pass-rush upside in his contract year to really cash in. Wilkins responded by doubling his previous season-high 4.5 sacks, tallying eight sacks and 52 pressures in 2023.
Wilkins is slightly older than his counterparts that signed deals last offseason, as Quinnen Williams, Jeffery Simmons, Daron Payne, and Dexter Lawrence all signed extensions at age 26. At 28-years-old, Wilkins finds himself placed between these younger players and Javon Hargrave, who signed a four year, $81,000,000 deal with the 49ers at age 30.
Wilkins hasn’t had a season of dominance like Quinnen Williams displayed before signing his extension, so it’s unlikely he’ll leapfrog Williams’ contract when also considering the age gap. However, his contract shouldn’t be far behind.
- Franchise Tag Likelihood: Low
- 4 Years, $92,000,000, $23M APY, $50M GTD
- Year One Cap Hit: $6.2 million
Be sure to check back in and around the site for more projections, as we will add more in the coming days and weeks.
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