Dolphins DL Status: All About the Wilkins Watch

Examining where the Miami Dolphins stand at each position heading into free agency

The Miami Dolphins are coming off what overall could be considered a successful season, which ended with an 11-6 record and a second consecutive playoff appearance, but there is work to be done for the team to reach the next level.

The major first step in the roster-building process will be free agency, which will kick off with the start of the new league year March 13 after the Dolphins go over their season-ending roster and decide how to proceed at each position moving forward.

With that in mind, we examine where the Dolphins stand at each position heading into free agency, with contract status of each player, a quick review of the 2023 performance and an analysis of what to expect in the offseason.

We continue with the defensive line.

MIAMI DOLPHINS DEFENSIVE LINEMEN IN 2023

On the roster: Christian Wilkins, Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis, Da'Shawn Hand, Emmanuel Ogbah

2023 season: The Dolphins got tremendous performances from both Wilkins and Sieler after the latter signed a contract extension and the former played on his fifth-year option after staging a training camp/preseason "hold-in." Davis and Hand had rather nondescript performances in backup roles because not only were Wilkins and Sieler productive, they were durable. Ogbah, who we're including here because that's how the Dolphins listed him even though he lined up as an edge defender, got very limited playing time and became an afterthought on defense.

Stats that stand out: Wilkins and Sieler were the only two interior defensive linemen in the NFL to finish the 2023 season with at least nine sacks and two fumble recoveries. ... Sieler joined Kansas City's Chris Jones as the only two pure defensive linemen to reach double digits in sack. ... The defensive line helped the Dolphins rank sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per carry (3.81).

THE OFFSEASON ON THE DEFENSIVE LINE

Contract status: Wilkins, Davis and Hand are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents. Sieler is signed through 2026 after his three-year extension. Ogbah is signed through 2025.

Notable pending free agents around the NFL: Chris Jones, Kansas City; Leonard Williams, Seattle; D.J. Reader, Cincinnati; Fletcher Cox, Philadelphia; Jordan Phillips, Buffalo; Javon Kinlaw, San Francisco

Offseason outlook: The big story here clearly will be what the Dolphins end up doing with Christian Wilkins, which could be putting the franchise tag on him, signing him to a new long-term contract, letting him test the free agent market, or tag-and-trade him. Wilkins' value to the team is such that bringing him back would seem like a no-brainer, but this is where the Dolphins' cap issues come into play because locking him up at a big cap number might mean having to let go of a couple of important contributors. The easiest decision here will be the release of Ogbah, which will save almost $14 million of cap space. The Dolphins also could restructure Sieler's contract to create additional cap space. Whether the Dolphins go after a notable free agent will be decided by what happens with Wilkins, though re-signing Davis and/or Hand certainly is a possibility.

Is the Wilkins Decision a Slam Dunk?