Tag: Christian Wilkins

Dolphins currently projected to get 3 compensatory picks in 2025

While the Dolphins lost Christian Wilkins, Robert Hunt, and others in free agency, that should mean more draft capital in 2025.

It’s been a few years since the Miami Dolphins received a compensatory draft pick. The last time was in 2020 when the team received fourth- and seventh-round selections for losing Ja’Wuan James and Brandon Bolden.

Five years later, the Dolphins are in line to finally get some compensatory picks again.

According to Over The Cap’s projections, the sizable contracts that Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt signed with the Las Vegas Raiders and Carolina Panthers, respectively, are both likely to earn the Dolphins third-round picks in 2025.

While OTC also projects Miami will receive a seventh-round selection, that one is much less certain. For now, the additions of Jordyn Brooks, Aaron Brewer, and Kendall Fuller cancel out the losses of Andrew Van Ginkel, Raekwon Davis, and Brandon Jones. That leaves the contract signed by DeShon Elliott as just rich enough to earn a seventh-rounder.

But if the Dolphins make another move or just a few more free agents get deals elsewhere, that pick could disappear.

Either way, two third-round picks is quite a coup for Miami and will mean the Dolphins have a lot of draft capital to worth with next year.

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Panthers GM Dan Morgan provides update on potential Derrick Brown extension

Panthers GM Dan Morgan expressed some optimism about a potential contract extension for DT Derrick Brown.

Maybe the Carolina Panthers have themselves a standout defender who they can actually keep.

On Monday, the team’s president of football operations and general manager Dan Morgan talked with reporters on a Zoom call from the NFL’s Annual League Meeting. When asked about defensive tackle Derrick Brown, who is entering the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, he expressed some optimism about a potential contract extension.

“I’m not going to put any timetable on it; we have had some good discussions with his agent,” Morgan said, via Darin Gantt of Panthers.com. “But as of right now, we’re working through that, and hopefully, it ends up working out at the end, which I think it will.”

Brown is coming off the first Pro Bowl season of his NFL career. In fact, it was no ordinary all-star campaign—as the 25-year-old broke the all-time single-season record for tackles by a defensive lineman.

A few of Brown’s fellow interior linemen got their big paydays this offseason—including Kansas City’s Chris Jones, Las Vegas’ Christian Wilkins and Baltimore’s Justin Madubuike. Jones set the market at a $158 million pact, with Wilkins at $110 million and Madubuike at $98 million.

So, is Brown next?

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AFC East: Dolphins lose top defender Christian Wilkins in free agency

AFC East: Dolphins lose top defender Christian Wilkins in free agency”

The Miami Dolphins have lost one of their best players over the opening week of the NFL’s 2024 free agency period.

Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is no longer an AFC East rival of the Buffalo Bills. He signed a four-year, $110 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Wilkins played in 10 games against the Bills during his time in Miami. He had a sack and two forced fumbles in that time. Wilkins recorded a career-high nine sacks last season.

What he’s most known for is a spat he had with Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen.

Back in 2022, Allen ripped off Wilkins’ helmet on a play… but there was also commentary about Wilkins potentially grabbing the QB in the groin area during a pileup.

But in the end, the two evidently buried the hatchet. Allen and Wilkins went on to exchange compliments ahead of Buffalo and Miami’s first meeting in 2023.

Even so, Allen and the Bills will likely enjoy not seeing Wilkins twice a year moving forward.

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Rich Eisen a big fan of Christian Wilkins joining Maxx Crosby on Raiders: ‘Unfair’

Rich Eisen big fan of ‘unfair’ pairing of Christian Wilkins and Maxx Crosby on Raiders

A lot of Raiders fans are super excited about the addition of Christian Wilkins. I have certainly made my feelings on the move clear. I love it. Had Wilkins as the top free agent on the market for the Raiders’ needs.

But if you don’t want to go with my opinion or those of Raider Nation, how about Rich Eisen?

The veteran NFL voice couldn’t say enough good things about the move by the Raiders and pairing him up with “the Condor,” Maxx Crosby.

Eisen got downright poetic while praising the Raiders for the move and imagining the havoc Wilkins and Crosby will create together.

He liked it particularly with regard to the Raiders attempting to accomplish their primary objective of ending the Chiefs’ stranglehold on the AFC West.

“Christian Wilkins requires a ton of attention to stop,” said Eisen. “He is a one-man wrecking machine. But just imagine what he can do with the Condor lined up to his left.

“Maxx Crosby next to Christian Wilkins sounds like an AFC Pro Bowl team,” he continued while also calling the duo “unfair” and lauding the move as “aggressive and smart.”

The Raiders still have many question marks — the quarterback position, for one. Clearly when Eisen recorded this, the news of the Raiders adding Gardner Minshew had not come out. But even if it had, Minshew is not the answer there.

And while the Chiefs dynasty largely surrounds QB Patrick Mahomes, they made Chris Jones a priority as well because they know how crucial having a dominant presence on the interior defensive line is along with consistent pressure on the opposing quarterback. The Raiders have at least checked that box. That’s a good start.

Christian Wilkins agrees to terms with Raiders, what it could mean for Leonard Williams

Christian Wilkins agrees to terms w/ Raiders, what it could mean for Leonard Williams

One of the first major dominoes in free agency has just fallen. One of the better defensive linemen available, Christian Wilkins of the Miami Dolphins appears to be headed west. Wilkins and the Raiders have agreed to terms on a monster contract that will make him quite a wealthy man.

Wilkins will join a defensive line with Maxx Crosby, in an effort to slow down division rival quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Breaking down the contract, this appears to be roughly $21 million a year. Of course, the first thought Seattle Seahawks fans should have is how this impacts impending free agent Leonard Williams.

The Seahawks made a splash trade in the middle of the season to acquire Williams from the New York Giants at the deadline, and it cost them a pretty penny. To obtain Williams’ services, Seattle had to fork over a second round pick. Such a hefty price for a soon-to-be free agent had many folks expecting the Seahawks to ink Williams to an extension eventually.

Now we know the likely price range Williams will be asking for in contract negotiations with either Seattle or a different suiter.

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Christian Wilkins agrees to terms with Raiders in massive deal for great defender

The Las Vegas Raiders have very bad news for opposing quarterbacks: Christian Wilkins and Maxx Crosby are now on the same team.

Former Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, one of the best players in the 2024 wave of free agency, will have a new home. Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Wilkins will get a four-year contract with $110 million in base value, and $84 million guaranteed.

Those are weighty numbers that put Wilkins among the NFL’s top defensive tackles, but he’s put up enough numbers of his own for that contract to be quite reasonable. Selected by the Dolphins with the 13th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Clemson, Wilkins had 10 sacks, 61 total pressures, 40 tackles, and 34 stops last season. The 6-foot-4, 310-pund Wilkins can win from just about any gap — he played 16% of his snaps at edge last season — and he faced some kind of double team on 301 of his snaps, getting two sacks and 33 total pressures when doubled.

It’s likely that when Wilkins lines up next to edge demon Maxx Crosby in Las Vegas’ fronts, he’ll face far fewer double-teams than that.

Breaking: Christian Wilkins signs a massive contract with the Las Vegas Raiders

Wilkins is moving on from the Dolphins and got a massive contract from the Raiders.

Christian Wilkins is no longer with the Miami Dolphins.

With NFL free agency getting ready to kick off, Wilkins moved quickly, taking advantage of his standing as one of the top available free agents. According to reports from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Wilkins and the Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to a four-year deal worth $110M base value that includes $84.75M guaranteed in a contract. Wilkins got the contract he was looking for, becoming one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the NFL.

In 2023, Wilkins showcased his prowess once more for the Dolphins. Despite a dip in total tackles, he notched a career-best 9 sacks, a remarkable achievement for a defensive tackle. Additionally, he tallied ten tackles for loss and 23 QB hits, setting yet another career high.

The Raiders have a new superstar on their defensive line.

Raiders reel in big fish, agreeing to terms with former Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins

Top top DT in free agency is headed to the Raiders

It was clear the Raiders were ready to make a big time move at defensive tackle this offseason. And they finally did. They are expected to sign the top defensive tackle on the market, nabbing former Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins.

Outside of quarterback, no position was more crucial for the Raiders than that of defensive tackle. And Wilkins was the best one out there and therefore topped my list of free agent fits for the Raiders at any position.

They have no returning defensive interior starters since allowing Bilal Nichols and Adam Butler hit free agency and releasing Jerry Tillery. Based on that, it was clear the Raiders were ready to overhaul the position which has been in disrepair for years.

On a defense which saw just about every other area step up late last season, the missing piece was a dominant interior presence. Wilkins provides that which will help every other part of the defense, from the edge rushers, to the linebackers, to the secondary.

This is a huge signing. Good on the Raiders to make it happen.

Dolphins DL Christian Wilkins agrees to massive deal with the Raiders

Miami’s star DL has agreed to a huge deal with Las Vegas.

The NFL’s legal tampering window is open, and teams are already agreeing to deals at a furious pace.

For the Miami Dolphins, their biggest pending free agent was defensive lineman Christian Wilkins, who bet on himself after he and the team couldn’t agree on a contract last offseason.

Now, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Wilkins has agreed to a deal with the Las Vegas Raiders that will pay him $110 million over four years.

Wilkins, 28, was selected by the Dolphins with the 13th overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft following a very successful collegiate career at Clemson.

In 81 career games for Miami, he recorded 355 tackles (43 for a loss), 50 quarterback hits, 20.5 sacks, 19 passes defensed, six fumbles recovered, four forced fumbles and one interception.

If the deal becomes official, the Dolphins will be losing a huge part of their team, not only on the field but also in the locker room.