Miami Dolphins defensive lineman Christian Wilkins will go into this season without a new contract.
Wilkins had withheld himself from team drills for the past two weeks in an effort to jump-start a contract extension with Miami, but the two sides were not able to make a deal.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Wilkins was not agreeable to the guaranteed money structure of the contract proposals Miami put forward during discussions.
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“At this point, I’m just focused on being the best teammate I can be and being there for my guys, and getting ready to play a game again, focused on the season,” Wilkins said on Tuesday. “As far as that’s concerned, whether or not something gets done, I’m focused on the season — we’ve got a game to play in two weeks.”
The Springfield, Massachusetts native is entering the final year of his current four-year, $15,439,100 contract. He was a Miami team captain last season.
Teams reached out to the Dolphins to try and trade for Christian Wilkins, but Miami was not interested in trading him, and he was not interested in playing elsewhere this season, according to Schefter.
Wilkins told reporters he never considered demanding a trade.
“At the end of the day, nobody wants to be a Miami Dolphin more than me,” Wilkins said. “Nobody wants to work for this organization more than me. That’s where I’m at with everything still. This is my home. I was drafted here. I love this place. I put my all into being the best player, the best leader, the best teammate, the best Miami Dolphins I can be. The organization deserves that. My teammates deserve that and these fans deserve that.”
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