Before 2024, the Arizona Cardinals will have a lot of gaps to cover, and one defensive lineman who is available in free agency might have a significant impact.
Christian Wilkins, a defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins, will be hitting the open market this summer after serving the team for the first five years of his career.
A first-round selection in 2019, Wilkins has been a member of Miami’s starting lineup for the past three seasons and has 355 tackles in his career. The Cardinals would have been in the lead this past season with nine sacks in 2023.
After losing some key players, Arizona’s defense faltered in the previous season. With their large salary cap space, the Cardinals are hoping to make effective use of some of it in the upcoming weeks and months.
Following a thorough analysis of every team’s impending offseason, Bleacher Report named Wilkins Arizona’s #1 free agent priority:
The Cardinals lost both of their primary defensive tackles in the offseason when Zach Allen signed a contract with the Broncos and J.J. Watt retired. Their defense struggled as a result of them not replacing either of them in free agency or with a high draft pick. Also, Carlos Watkins, Kevin Strong, L.J. Collier, and Leki Fotu are unrestricted free agents,” writes Matt Holder.
With strong rankings from Pro Football Focus as a run defender and pass rusher, Wilkins is a well-rounded athlete who will be among the best defensive linemen on the open market. The five-year veteran turned 28 in December, so he would be involved in Arizona’s young movement as well.
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