Is Wilkins All the Way Back?

Defensive tackle Christian Wilkins is coming off a solid performance against the New York Giants

Christian Wilkins was impossible not to notice throughout the 2022 season when it kept making plays for the Miami Dolphins defense, and that guy seems to be on his way back.

And there's reason to hope that he's actually becoming an even better, more well-rounded defensive tackle.

The Dolphins had several dominant defensive performances in their 31-16 victory against the New York Giants at Hard Rock Stadium, and Wilkins was right up there among those with the best — even though the numbers didn't totally do justice to what he did.

Wilkins was credited with four tackles, four QB pressures and half a sack.

It was the second time in three games that Wilkins was a disruptive factor as a pass rusher, having knocked down Russell Wilson three times in the 50-point blowout of the Denver Broncos in Week 3.

That was the part of his game that was lacking a bit heading into the season because his run stopping was borderline.

WILKINS' SLOW START

Through the first five games, Wilkins has 1.5 sacks, which might not sound like much, but puts him on a pace to finish with 5 on the season.

That would set a career high, but more importantly Wilkins already has been credited with nine QB pressures by Pro Football Reference, which already is more than half his career FOR A REASON of 17, which he did in 2021.

At this rate, Wilkins would finish with 30 QB pressures, which would put him at an elite level for any defensive tackle not named Chris Jones (he had 46 last season).

"I think he's done good on both parts (run and pass)," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Tuesday. "I think his play has been good. I think it's improving. I do think the layoff he had in training camp after the first 10 days or so when he did partake in it did get him rusty. And I think he's back to where he was then."

Ah, the old training camp layoff, or actually the Wilkins "hold-in."

We all remember how Wilkins, in the search of a lucrative contract extension, stopped taking part in team reps after the first snap of the first joint practice with the Atlanta Falcons and didn't resume until after the preseason ended.

Wilkins, who's playing for $10.7 million this season under his fifth-year option, pretty much used the only recourse he had to try to force the Dolphins' hand, even though it ultimately proved unsuccessful.

The only thing Wilkins could control once the season started was his performance and showing the Dolphins he could raise his level of play as a pass rusher to match his run-defending prowess or come close to it, and he's off to a good start in regard.

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