Dolphins GM: Tua Tagovailoa, Christian Wilkins Contract Talks Tabled Until Offseason

Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said the team will table all contract talks with defensive tackle Christian Wilkins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa until 2024 after the sides failed to reach an agreement during the offseason.

"We've had a lot of great dialogue with him and his agent. We made an offer that we thought was fair," Grier said of Wilkins during his Wednesday press conference. "When you do things like that, it has to work for both sides. There was never any ill will from each side. I enjoy his agent, we have good conversations. So, for right now we're going to hold off, until in my mind until the end of the season. I don't think it's fair to distract Christian from his goal of what he wants to achieve and for the team."

Wilkins is set to make $10.8 million in the final year of his rookie contract and will be a free agent in March. The Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa's fifth-year option in his rookie contract this offseason, keeping him under team control through 2024.

While there will be time for the two sides to reach an agreement before free agency, Wilkins already looks like a strong candidate for the franchise tag. He's been an anchor on the interior for Miami since being taken in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft, and it's a virtual certainty the Dolphins won't allow him to walk without receiving compensation.

Wilkins spent much of training camp holding in as the two sides negotiated a new contract. He returned to practice Tuesday and has been adamant about wanting to remain with the Dolphins.

"I'll just say, at the end of the day, nobody wants to be a Miami Dolphin more than me. No one wants to work for this organization more than me," Wilkins said. "And that's from Valerie at the front desk to the coaches on the coaching staff to Hubert who cleans up the building. Nobody wants to be a part of the organization more than myself. That's how I feel, that's what it is, that's where I'm at with everything still."

Tagovailoa's situation is a little more complicated due to his injury concerns. The Alabama product considered retirement after struggling with head injuries during the 2022 season and previously suffered a dislocated hip during his final college season.

While Tagovailoa played like an MVP candidate for parts of last season, he struggled mightily down the stretch as the Dolphins lost his last four starts. Miami will likely want to see its franchise quarterback stay upright for a full 17-game schedule before committing any major long-term money.