Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jacksonville Jaguars: Is Christian Wilkins the Missing Piece?

Originally posted on Gridiron Heroics | By Matt Lombardo | Last updated 3/8/24

The Jacksonville Jaguars will likely set out to fortify a defense capable of being a worthy complement to Trevor Lawrence and a dynamic offense.

As the Jaguars enter a pivotal season in Doug Pederson’s tenure as head coach, Jacksonville could look to put the finishing touches on a defensive line that already has two dominant pass-rushers in bookends Josh Allen and Travon Walker.

Miami Dolphins All-Pro interior defensive lineman Christian Wilkins has the potential to be the missing piece of the Jaguars’ defensive line.

As ESPN points out, if the Jacksonville Jaguars are serious about signing Wilkins, the move isn’t going to come cheap.

Field Yates projects Wilkins as one of the players set to break the bank once free agency begins.

“One of the more versatile interior defensive linemen in all of the NFL,”Yates explains, writing for ESPN. “Wilkins has a track record of producing in basically every area. He’s coming off a career-high nine sacks and has been a solo-tackle-making machine (146 over the past three seasons, ranking second, first and sixth among DTs in 2021-2023, respectively). His age — he turns 29 in December — is not a deterrent for teams, and the defensive tackle market exploded last offseason. I expect him to earn $22 million-plus per year.”

Can the Jacksonville Jaguars afford Christian Wilkins?

The Jacksonville Jaguars are as well positioned as any team across the league to absorb a colossal Christian Wilkins contract.

Pro Football Focus projects that whoever signs Wilkins will be getting a player likely to bounce back with his best football ahead of him.

“Wilkins is coming off his lowest-graded season since 2020,” Zoltán Buday writes. “But he is still only 28 years old and has already shown that he can be among the NFL’s best interior defenders in all facets of the game. His somewhat down season might have been due to an increased workload, as he has played the second-most snaps among interior defenders over the past two seasons.”

As free agency nears, the Jacksonville Jaguars currently have approximately $20.9 million in cap space, along with a glaring need that Wilkins could fill in 2024 and beyond.

This article first appeared on Gridiron Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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