There are surprises every on the Franchise Tag deadline day for NFL teams. While the Chicago Bears' decision to apply the tag to Jaylon Johnson was not a surprise, the Miami Dolphins' decision not to tag defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was a surprise.
While the Dolphins are holding out hope to sign Wilkins to a long-term contract before the start of free agency next week, many teams are already circling interest.
The Bears could be one of those teams.
The first clue was a response that the Chicago Tribune's Dan Wiederer had on Twitter.
Or Montez Sweat? https://t.co/pdLQrMixJP
— Dan Wiederer (@danwiederer) March 6, 2024
Wiederer wasn't the only Bears' reporter for the Tribune who made the connection between the team and Wilkins. In a recent Q&A for the Tribune, Biggs talked about the potential interest that the Bears may have in Wilkins.
"Will the Bears be a player for Wilkins? I wish I had a good answer for that but I don’t. It would make sense given their cap situation and the fact Wilkins isn’t seeking a third contract. There will be no shortage of teams interested in him, and it would take a huge payday to get him signed. A deal for Wilkins should easily exceed $20 million per season."Brad Biggs via the Chicago Tribune
When two Chicago Bears' beat reporters speculate about a potential free-agent target, it's something worth noting.
Wilkins would be a tremendous asset to have in the middle of the defensive line for a Bears team that had to be creative with how they generated pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Not only would Wilkins take pressure off Montez Sweat on the edge, but Wilkins would also clear lanes for Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards.
It's worth noting that outside of his attempt to spend big on Larry Ogunjobi during his first off-season, Ryan Poles has not attempted to spend on the position since. While Ogunjobi's thwarted deal with the Bears would not have aligned with when the team expected to contend, an agreement with Wilkins would be the propping open of the team's contention window.