Before the Miami Dolphins begin signing their draft picks from last month, it seems like they want to take care of things with some veterans.
Dolphins have been holding off on signing their draft picks while working on things with veteran players, according to 2 people briefed on the situation. Fins have the cap space to sign all 4. Dolphins have $2.9 M in space, per overthecap. Another $13.6 M will be added June 1.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 11, 2023
Signing the veterans might be a priority for the Dolphins so that they don’t have to worry about contract negotiations during the regular season. In contrast, their four draft picks have no other option but to simply wait.
One of the key players on the Dolphins who might get an extension is defensive lineman Christian Wilkins. He was a first-round pick of the Dolphins in the 2019 NFL Draft, getting selected with the 13th overall pick.
During his four seasons with the Dolphins, Wilkins has produced well, especially during his past two seasons. In those campaigns, Wilkins’ solo tackles have risen considerably. He’s also ended each year in double digits when it comes to tackles for loss.
In addition, Wilkins has been one of the more durable Dolphins players, seeing action in every game over the past two seasons.
Center Connor Williams might be another player who gets an extension sometime soon as he’s now in the final year of a two-year deal he signed last season.
Before joining the Dolphins last season, Williams (who turns 26 on May 12) played four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. For most of his time with the Cowboys, Williams saw action at one of the guard spots.
Upon joining the Dolphins, Williams was able to make the transition to center and helped deliver solid protection of the team’s signal-callers.
While those two players seem to fit as candidates for new contracts with the Dolphins, exactly who else might get a new deal remains a mystery.
There is also the possibility that the Dolphins will again pursue a trade with the Minnesota Vikings for running back Dalvin Cook. Previous discussions offered no success on that front, though the Dolphins might become more interested in acquiring Cook if the Vikings release him for salary-cap purposes.
The possibility of the Dolphins pursuing Cook seemed to dissipate when the team chose former Texas A&M University running back Devon Achane in the recent 2023 NFL Draft. However, strengthening the running back position seems to continue to be a priority for head coach Mike McDaniel.
Regardless of which path the Dolphins take, the team likely wants to address everything long before training camp gets underway.
