Will Connor Williams, Andrew Van Ginkel return to Dolphins? Agent gives update
Center Connor Williams is one of the top Dolphins set to hit free agency next month, but the prospects of signing him to a new contract were seemingly complicated by the torn ACL he sustained against the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 11.
Williams’ agent also suggested the injury status could delay Williams from signing with any team when free agency opens March 13.
“I do think that we’re going to be very methodical and take our time relative to the contract,” Drew Rosenhaus told The Joe Rose Show Friday morning. “A lot of it may be predicated on how Connor is feeling physically. He may not be a player that signs at the very start of free agency. He may take more time based on how he’s feeling physically.”
Rosenhaus added: “Connor’s situation has a degree of uncertainty that’s going to be tied to how he’s feeling. And really, we’ll just take it one day at a time once we get into the offseason. But I’m not sure that that is one that’ll be resolved as quickly as some of the other players that we represent.”
The Dolphins signed Williams to a two-year deal worth $14 million in the 2022 offseason. Williams transitioned from guard to center in Miami and quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s better players at his new position. Williams sought a new deal before the 2023 season and skipped offseason workouts, but he returned for the start of training camp without a reworked contract.
In 2023, Williams was once again one of the best centers in the league but injuries limited him to just nine games played. Williams missed four games in the first half of the season because of a lingering groin injury and then tore his ACL in Week 14, which sidelined him for the rest of the year.
Despite the knee injury, Pro Football Focus rates Williams, 26, as the top free agent center available and projects he will sign a three-year deal worth $22.5 million.
On outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, whom Rosenhaus also represents, Rosenhaus said there is mutual interest in returning to Miami but “[Van Ginkel] is also going to be coveted by several other teams.”
Van Ginkel, 29, re-signed with the Dolphins last offseason on a one-year deal worth $2.65 million and then had his best season, recording a career-high six sacks in 2023.
PFF projects Van Ginkel will sign a two-year deal worth $13 million.
