Where things stand with two coveted Dolphins free agents. And Miami re-signs punter

If the Dolphins are going to be able to keep top free agents Christian Wilkins or Robert Hunt, a dramatic turn of events must happen in the coming days.

A source said Friday that Hunt’s return to the Dolphins isn’t looking very good, unless the Dolphins suddenly can come up with enough cap space and financial resources to compete with offers expected to exceed $15 million annually.

The Dolphins and Hunt have preserved a very good relationship through the negotiating process, but Miami — which is well over the salary cap — doesn’t appear in position to compete at the high end with other teams in a guard market that’s exploding, unless the front office suddenly changes its approach.

The Rams re-signed guard Kevin Dotson to a three-year, $48 million contract this week, and Hunt has been every bit as good or better. Dotson allowed four sacks and 20 pressures in 520 pass blocking snaps last season. Hunt, conversely, yielded just one sack and five pressures in 329 pass blocking chances last season.

Hunt played at an elite level when he wasn’t sidelined seven games by hamstring injuries. PFF rated Hunt sixth of 81 guards last season, including eighth as a run blocker.

The Dolphins drafted Hunt 39th overall in 2020, and while he never made a Pro Bowl, he was on the cusp. For 30 years, the Dolphins have struggled drafting offensive linemen after the first round, and Hunt was perhaps their best second-day offensive line draft pick this century.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that defensive tackle Christian Wilkins will very likely sign elsewhere.

Schefter said the bidding for Wilkins will reach the $24 million or $25 million per year range. To this point, the Dolphins haven’t been comfortable going to that point.

The Dolphins are still attempting to keep him and communication remains open, according to someone briefed on the situation.

But the sides haven’t been able to strike a deal in nine months of on-and-off talks, and Wilkins’ market has only increased over that time.

According to a source, the Dolphins last year offered Wilkins a deal that was in the top 10 in average salary for defensive tackles. Based on salaries for 2023 defensive tackles, such a deal would have been for no less than $17 million annually. But Wilkins is seeking far more than that.

Losing Wilkins would hurt a Dolphins run defense that was top five in the league in yards allowed per carry (3.8) and diminish the team’s pass rush after Wilkins produced a career-high nine sacks last season.

But while Hunt and Wilkins seem to have one foot out the door, keep this in mind: Dolphins general manager Chris Grier, at times in the past, has dramatically raised offers to his own free agents at the last minute — just as he did in signing Emmanuel Ogbah to a four-year, $64 million contract in March 2022.

So while it doesn’t look promising with Hunt and Wilkins, there’s always the chance that Grier could significantly boost an offer to either before free agency doors swing open on Monday. There’s a history of that with Ogbah, though the Dolphins had far more cap space when they re-signed Ogbah.

To make a competitive offer for Wilkins and/or Hunt, Miami would need to clear out more than $50 million in cap space in the coming days, not only to be cap compliant by Wednesday’s deadline, but to have enough room to address other positions.

The Dolphins’ easiest path to creating considerable cap space is by restructuring or extending contracts for Jalen Ramsey, Bradley Chubb and Tyreek Hill. Extending Tua Tagovailoa could chop $10 million off his $23.1 million 2024 cap hit, but those contract talks are expected to stretch well into the spring or summer, ESPN reported.

Among Miami’s other free agent offensive linemen beyond Hunt, the Dolphins have said they would like to retain left guard Isaiah Wynn, who played well before a quadriceps injury ended his season in Week 7.

Agent Drew Rosenhaus previously indicated, in a conversation with WQAM’s Joe Rose, that center Connor Williams will approach free agency methodically in the wake of his December ACL injury.

Free agent left tackle Kendall Lamm remains a possibility to return.

Among other free agent defensive linemen beyond Wilkins, Raekwon Davis made clear in January that he would love to return and has little interest in exploring free agency. The extent of the Dolphins’ interest will become clearer in the days ahead.

At other positions, the Dolphins are said to have interest in keeping several free agents, including Andrew Van Ginkel, Braxton Berrios and Salvon Ahmed.

PUNTER RETAINED

The Dolphins are re-signing punter Jake Bailey on a two-year, $4.2 million deal. The contract could be worth up to $5 million, per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz.

Per NFL.com, Bailey last season ranked 30th in punting average at 45.7 and ranked 25th in net average at 40.7. He placed 20 punts inside the 20, which was tied for 23rd in the league.

Bailey did a good job as a holder for kicker Jason Sanders, and preserving that continuity is viewed by coaches as helpful.