Dolphins DL Christian Wilkins not practicing as he seeks new contract
In the last week, Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins’ participation in training camp practice has been sparse.
The fifth-year player has been seen taking part in individual drills and then watching the remainder of team drills on the sideline with his teammates.
On Wednesday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said that Wilkins has been sitting out large portions of practice as he seeks a contract extension.
“Christian is such a good player, such an important person in the locker room, who has made it clear that he feels that his play is deserving of a contract,” McDaniel said before the first of two joint practices with the Texans in Houston this week. “We would agree, as the Miami Dolphins organization, henceforth we are in negotiations. As a result, he’s hasn’t been participating in team [drills]. When he next participates, that will be up to him.”
He added: “Every player is like a snowflake, I would say — unique to itself. So I’m comfortable with the situation as it stands. Christian and I are in constant communication, and this is part of the business that a lot of teams are dealing with.”
Wilkins last fully participated in practice on Aug. 5 during the team’s session at Hard Rock Stadium. After the practice, he told reporters he felt he was deserving of a new contract.
“I definitely feel like I’ve done enough and done a lot to earn a new deal and a new contract,” he said.
McDaniel first acknowledged at the NFL’s owners meetings in March that the Dolphins and Wilkins have had discussions on a contract extension. But the two sides have not been able to reach an agreement, while many of Wilkins’ defensive line peers around the league have been rewarded with new contracts, many of which are averaging upwards of $20 million.
Wilkins, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2019 Draft, is set to play the final year of his rookie contract with a fully-guaranteed base salary of $10.7 million. The 27-year-old has improved each season, setting career-high marks for tackles (98) and tackles for loss (16) in the 2022 season. A vocal team leader and fan favorite, Wilkins was voted a team captain for the first time last year.
‘“Christian is, since I’ve been here, he’s been one way,” McDaniel said on Aug. 5. “I truly believe in that way, he embodies what I expect for our team, each individual to be, on a day-to-day basis for you to have success. So how do you categorize that? That’s an important part of the team. I promise you this: If Christian Wilkins came out to practice and was like, ‘Ehh,’ we’d have problems. So as teammates, you end up depending on each other for certain things that you know you can count on. Energy, strain, relentlessness, these are all things that if you’re trying to be a good team, you want to embody.”
Again on Wednesday, Wilkins was in uniform and wearing his Guardian cap-protected helmet as he completed individual drills. He then watched from the sidelines with his teammates as Miami’s defense conducted 11-on-11 drills against Houston’s offense. He was engaged in practice, giving an animated reaction to a would-be sack from defensive tackle Raekwon Davis. After practice, he was seen running sprints.
“Christian’s a dog. We need him to win. There’s no question,” offensive tackle Terron Armstead said after practice. “He knows what he needs to be ready, be prepared. He practices and plays harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. So, you never worry about a guy like him. We need him. The organization knows we need him. So, I’m pretty sure they’ll figure out something, whether it’s stock options or whatever to get the job done.”
Wilkins arrived in Miami Gardens for the start of training camp in late July, avoiding daily fines of up to $50,000 for players under contract who do not report to their respective team’s facilities. But with what is considered around the league as a “hold-in,” Wilkins can sit out practice without accruing fines while his contract situation is handled.
Cornerback Xavien Howard took a similar approach in 2021 as he sought to re-do his deal. After several days, Howard received a restructured contract that included more guaranteed money.
“Get your money,” Howard said with a smile when asked what advice he has for Wilkins. “Get your money, I can’t say nothing else.”
He added: “At the end of the day, you’ve got to make sure you’re ready to play football, also, no matter what you’re going through. Some guys are just focused on getting paid and stuff like that. Then they forget that you’ve still got to play football. If you get paid or you don’t, you’ve still got to perform. So, you’ve just got to take care of it and be a pro. I’m sure he’s going to do that because he’s a pro.
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 10:19 AM.
