Report: Colts could be a destination for Dolphins defender

The Miami Dolphins’ disruptive force could end up with the Indianapolis Colts.

Free agency has officially begun in the NFL. All 32 teams must decide who to keep or let go to the open market. Now that the franchise tag deadline has past, teams such as the Indianapolis Colts are assessing their cap position and selecting which in-house free agents to keep.

Players like as cornerback Kenny Moore II, safety Julian Blackmon, and defensive tackle Grover Stewart have yet to secure new contracts. Despite this, Indianapolis may wish to keep them if it makes financial sense.

Stewart, in particular, shown his value to the interior defensive line in terms of halting opposing ground attacks. But Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox believes the Colts have a better fit than Stewart for the defensive tackle position next to Pro Bowler DeForest Buckner.

Knox’s recent “Ranking Best Fits for Top Defensive Players in 2024 Free Agency Class” article suggests that Miami Dolphins free agent interior defender Christian Wilkins could end up in Indianapolis.

So too, may the Indianapolis Colts. If Grover Steward departs in free agency, Wilkins could slot in next to DeForest Buckner to form one of the most prolific defensive tackle combinations in the conference.

According to Omar Kelly of FanNation, the Colts were interested in acquiring Wilkins in a trade that would have sent Jonathan Taylor to Miami. Taylor signed an extension with Indianapolis instead, but now the Colts may have another shot at adding Wilkins to Gus Bradley’s defense.

Knox’s column discusses the prospect of the Dolphins retaining Wilkins on a new contract because they did not franchise tag the veteran. He also believes the Cincinnati Bengals will pick him up and put him on the defensive line alongside D.J. Reader.

But back to Knox’s analysis of the situation with Indy. Wilkins’ acquisition makes sense if Stewart enters free agency without a retention contract. However, signing the former 2019 first-round pick from Clemson would come at a high cost.

According to Spotrac, Wilkins’ market value is $20.2 million a year. After Indianapolis recently franchise-tagged standout receiver Michael Pittman Jr. for $21.8 million (totally guaranteed), Wilkins’ fit does not make sense for a general manager like Chris Ballard. Stewart will also cost significantly less than Wilkins, with a potential annual salary of $14.5 million if re-signed in Indianapolis.

Before Pittman was tagged, Indianapolis had approximately $73 million in cap space. They currently rank ninth in the NFL with $53 million. While that is still a significant sum of money, it may be used to retain the aforementioned in-house free agents.

While Wilkins is a few years younger than Stewart and has more pass-rushing ability (9.0 sacks in 2023), Indianapolis does not absolutely want that on its interior defensive line. Samson Ebukam (9.5), Kwity Paye (8.5), and Dayo Odeyingbo (8.0) all had eight or more sacks in 2023, as did Buckner (8.0).

While the prospect of Wilkins fitting into Gus Bradley’s defense and working in the trenches with Charlie Partridge is appealing, it is unlikely that this deal will occur. The Colts believe in Stewart and may want to watch how he progresses with Partridge at the lead.

The Bottom Line

Free agency often generates headlines and conjecture about which players might fit into new teams and situations. While the Colts may benefit from more pass-rushing skill, they aren’t willing to spend a lot of money on interior help.

The presence of edge rushers on the roster, along with Partridge’s new addition, suggests that Indianapolis is attempting to keep the defensive front from left to right intact. It’ll be intriguing to see what happens, because anything is technically possible. But don’t expect Ballard to spend $20 million per year on Wilkins when Stewart is set to be re-signed and provides valuable run-defense capabilities to a Colts defense that urgently needs them.