The legal tampering period of the NFL‘s 2024 free agency kicked off Monday. For the Miami Dolphins, it was a depressing start, losing safety Brandon Jones, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, and right guard Robert Hunt.
Fans of the organization, of course, did not hold back after hearing four important players were going to be playing for different organizations next season.
Miami Dolphins Fans Go Nuts After Losing Key Players in Free Agency
It was certainly a rough start to the free agency stage for Dolphins fans across the globe after it was publicly announced three defensive players and one of their top offensive linemen would be leaving for greener pastures.
When supporters started to find out about the huge deal the Las Vegas Raiders were awarding Wilkins, they immediately began screaming for Chris Grier’s general manager position on X (formerly Twitter).
Some even went as far as saying Grier is choosing to not pay the guys who deserved to be paid because QB Tua Tagovailoa will end up “stealing all of the money” and that Grier “better wake up!”
I don’t care what anyone says. This is all Tua fault. 😡 it will get worst before it gets better. 🤦🏾♂️
— TD PHINS TALK (@TDPhinsTalk) March 11, 2024
Wilkins joined ex-teammate Jones in the AFC West. The safety agreed to a three-year contract with the Denver Broncos about an hour before the Wilkins deal.
Before the start of the 2023 season, Grier informed the South Florida media that they offered an extension to Wilkins they believed was “fair,” but Wilkins and his team declined.
Some supporters believed the Wilkins news would be the only news they would hear all day, but more came quickly.
WHAT IS THE MIAMI DOLPHINS ORGANIZATION DOING?!?! 🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
— Gina Muscato (@GinaMuscato) March 11, 2024
Soon after, former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores took Andrew Van Ginkel to Minnesota, with the former fifth-round selection agreeing to terms on a two-year contract.
Today we mourn the loss of the Miami Dolphins defense 😪 pic.twitter.com/awTO5n3XPP
— Dolphreaky (@dolphreaky) March 11, 2024
Drafted in 2020, Robert Hunt was a strong piece of the Dolphins’ offensive line. On Monday, Hunt agreed to terms on a five-year deal with the Carolina Panthers for $100 million.
If one has been following Miami’s salary cap situation, seeing Wilkins and Hunt leave should not come as shocking news.
Current mood. #finsdown pic.twitter.com/ncWMY3HN9K
— Marisa Marino (@mustbemarisa87) March 11, 2024
Grier and Company did not have the flexibility to pay Wilkins $27.5 million for the next four years or $20 million to Hunt for the next five either.
Van Ginkel’s exit is surprising because the Dolphins, after restructuring some of their players’ contracts, could have offered the former Wisconsin defender a cheap one- or two-year deal to stay.
CONTINUE READING: Is It Time To Panic After Dolphins’ Bloody Monday?
Fans are hungry and want to see this franchise win their first postseason game since 2000 very soon. That is understandable, but at the same time, Grier has a high title for a reason and the fanbase needs to sit back and have some trust in a staff that has earned back-to-back playoff appearances.
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