The Minnesota Vikings are in dire straights on the defensive front, but fortunately for the Vikings, Miami Dolphins star Christian Wilkins is more than willing to land in Minnesota.
KPRC’s Aaron Wilson reported on March 10 that the Vikings have “strong and mutual interest” in Wilkins, one of the top defensive interior linemen available come the start of free agency on Wednesday, March 13.
“Extremely rich market expected for #Dolphins free agent Christian Wilkins. Among the multiple teams expected to have strong and mutual interest in Wilkins, who has 20 1/2 career sacks, including career-high nine last season, #Texans and #Vikings, per league sources,” Wilson posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Extremely rich market expected for #Dolphins free agent Christian Wilkins. Among the multiple teams expected to have strong and mutual interest in Wilkins, who has 20 1/2 career sacks, including career-high nine last year, #Texans and #Vikings, per league sources. @KPRC2
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 10, 2024
The No. 13 overall pick in 2019, Wilkins was Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ first draft selection as the Dolphins’ head coach from 2019 to 2021.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported that Wilkins is a “top priority” for the Vikings when the legal tampering window opens at 11 a.m. CT Monday, March 11.
Christian Wilkins Expected to Garner Over $100 Million Contract
The Vikings have been missing a dominant defensive lineman in the middle since Linval Joseph left in 2020. Cap constraints have kept the Vikings from splurging at the position, and there has yet to be an impactful investment in the draft.
Wilkins could fill that void left by Joseph and be a renaissance man for a Vikings fan base that has watched the likes of Alan Page, John Randle and the Williams brothers dominate on the defensive front.
However, defensive interior line has become a premier position on defense given the top interior defenders proving to be stout against the run and some of the league’s most dominant pass rushers.
Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones just became the highest-paid defensive tackle in the league, securing a five-year deal where the first three years guarantee $95 million while Justin Madubuike agreed to a four-year, $98 million contract with $75.5 million in guarantees with the Baltimore Ravens.
Wilkins is no exception to what it might take to land a dominant man in the middle after he posted 58 pressures and 10 sacks last season.
“Wilkins is as good a run defender as any interior defensive lineman in the NFL,” PFF’s free-agency report reads, which projects Wilkins to garner a four-year, $100 million deal with a $25 million average annual value after “setting career highs in every pass-rushing category this season, including pass-rush win rate, pressure rate, sacks, quarterback hits and pressures.”
Vikings Return Little on the Defensive Front, at Risk of Losing Danielle Hunter
The Vikings’ front seven is all but stripped approaching free agency.
Most importantly, Danielle Hunter is poised to reach free agency and is expected to have a strong market outside of what the Vikings may be willing to pay him. D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport are also impending free agents.
Then there’s the defensive line.
The Vikings only return tackle Harrison Phillips and defensive ends Dean Lowry and Jaquelin Roy from their 2023 roster.
Phillips was the heart of the Vikings defensive line, playing 838 defensive snaps. He was a solid run defender but posted just 21 pressures on 438 pass-rushing snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Lowry posted just four pressures on 109 pass-rushing snaps.
Beyond Phillips, the Vikings barely generated pressure from the interior where quarterbacks typically have fewer escapes.
The value of interior pass pressure is trending upward in today’s NFL — and the Vikings should make moves to become more threatening on the defensive front.
