Dolphins Were Right To Let Hunt and Wilkins Go

As painful as it is to lose both players, the Dolphins made the right move to let both players walk. Those contracts were too big. Wilkins, a first-round pick in 2019, was a very good player and played with the passion and energy you want on your team. However, I wouldn’t pay top dollar for him. Sure, he came off a career year with nine sacks and became more than a run-stuffer, but the truth is he got a lot of those sacks against lesser teams. Wilkins didn’t show up in big games and make big plays outside of one against the Buffalo Bills in the season finale. He’s a good player but not an elite player. Teams don’t game plan for Wilkins like they would say, Chris Jones. I like Wilkins, but the cost was too much. 

Hunt got an enormous amount in free agency. The problem is I don’t see teams paying a $20 million a year salary on an interior lineman, but Hunt found someone that does in the Panthers. He is one of the best linemen the Dolphins have drafted and developed, but like Wilkins, he is too much for this team. On top of that, Hunt missed seven games last year due to injury, and the line did a pretty good job without him. Now, they are better with him but did just fine without him. 

 The Dolphins most likely will get some compensatory picks next year with these two losses, possibly two 3rd round picks if things go right. I know that’s next year, but with the Dolphins’ salary cap situation, they are in a spot where they must pick and choose who to pay. The Dolphins very well lost two talented players, but both sides did what was best for them. The players got paid, and the team took a stance. It will possibly hurt the Dolphins this year, but if they had paid both guys that price, imagine what the ramifications against the cap would have been. You can’t pay everyone, unfortunately. Hunt and Wilkins are good players but not elite, and you don’t overpay for just good players. The Dolphins will have tougher decisions in the next few years, but this was the right move despite losing talent. 

(To See Who Mel Kiper Jr. has Miami Selecting in Rd 1 of his Latest Mock Draft, Click Below)