Stud defensive tackle could all of a sudden be a huge signing for the Denver Broncos

A defensive tackle that was originally thought to be staying with his current team for 2024 may now hit the open market.
Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos / Perry Knotts/GettyImages
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The Denver Broncos defensive line was among the very worst in football in 2023, but this stud defensive tackle looks poised to hit the open market and could be a life-saver for the defense. Fortunately, the Denver Broncos are not the only team in the NFL who may have to make some tough decisions due to their cap space.

The Miami Dolphins are another team in the same boat as Denver, and they may have already made a tough call on one of their best players, Christian Wilkins:

The Dolphins are currently over the cap and are likely going to pay Tua Tagovailoa this coming offseason. Jaylen Waddle just finished up his third season and is now eligible for an extension. It's obvious that the Dolphins' offense is the identity of the team, and this recent report of them likely letting Wilkins hit the open market may be a huge benefit for the Broncos.

Wilkins, 28, was a first-round pick of the Dolphins back in 2019 and has missed just two games across his career. He had the best year of his career in 2023, racking up two passes defended, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, 65 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 23 QB hits, and nine sacks. He was an elite force along the defensive interior for Miami.

Besides Zach Allen, the Broncos don't have any other notable production from the interior, so a potential pairing of Allen and Wilkins could be a huge boost for the DL. If Denver were to make a move like this, they'd likely have to go cheaper to fill the last starting defensive line spot, as neither DJ Jones nor Jonathan Harris should come close to starting for the Broncos in 2024.

This would also be a great move in that the Dolphins are in the AFC, so poaching one of their best players could greatly weaken their defense and greatly improve the Broncos defense. Wilkins isn't in the tier of guys like Aaron Donald or Chris Jones, but he's right below them and a player who'd fill a huge position of need.

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The Broncos would have to free up cap space themselves, but fortunately for them, they can take a plethora of avenues to do just that.

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