Chris Grier is sending the wrong message to Miami Dolphins players if he doesn't re-sign Wilkins

The Miami Dolphins have a salary cap problem and they also have a potential Christian Wilkins problem that could send a horrible message to the rest of the team.

Chris Grier has made some great and even bold moves as the Dolphins' general manager but his stubbornness when it comes to veteran players and salary extensions is not a good one. Grier has to deal with the Wilkins situation before he decides what to do in free agency and honestly, while the NFL is a business, Grier is teetering on another bad business decision.

It was reported last year that the Dolphins did not share the same value of Wilkins that Wilkins thought of himself. A contract never got done. Had they done one, it would have been cheaper than what it will cost them this year. That is no longer the point. We have seen Grier play this game and lose time and again.

Those same reports said that Grier and the Dolphins wanted to see more from Wilkins in the form of more sacks and more consistent pressure. Wilkins delivered what they wanted and Grier told the media that Wilkins "earned his right to be a free agent."

So basically, should we consider Chris Grier a liar? Should we not believe him when he asks for more from a player? Let's take a look at what message this is saying to the other players on the roster.

Grier took over as the GM in 2016 and since that time, he has made 55 draft picks. Of those 55 picks, Grier has re-signed, to more than a 1-year deal, 5 players.

Xavien Howard, Durham Smythe, Austin Jackson, Jerome Baker, and Jason Sanders. We can discount the draft selections from 2020 to the present as they are still under their rookie deals or will be free agents this year.

Grier sent a positive message to the team when he rewarded Baker and Howard with new contracts. Both were inconsistent and you could argue that Baker earned his deal this past season. The problem is Grier likes to give more money in free agency and trades. His deal with Byron Jones cost the Dolphins more as he had to again deal with Howard on a new contract only a year later.

The Miami Dolphins, under Grier, are horrible at retaining their in-house free agents and they have not done well retaining their draft selections. This is a big problem for a team that tried to rebuild in 2019.

Wilkins may very well walk into free agency and cash out a great season but Grier is sending a message that says, "I don't care."

Grier said he didn't think Wilkins was worth the money last year, challenged him to do more, and now appears to be willing to let him walk. Wilkins did what they wanted. He is a team-first player through and through. He may not be an All-Pro elite like Aaron Donald but no one has more heart or gives more than 100% on every play, than Wilkins.

By letting Wilkins leave, if they do, is telling guys like Jaelan Phillips, Jevon Holland, and Jaylen Waddle that you can be great but you may not be great enough to warrant an extension unless you take what offer I'm going to give you. It says if Grier tells them to do more, they still won't necessarily be rewarded for it.

Grier failed, in my opinion, with the way he handled the Xavien Howard contract after the Jones debacle.

Then there is Tua Tagovailoa. Again, Grier didn't extend him last year and probably could have gotten him for a lot less. There were red flags for sure but there still are flags this year. Tua could become the highest-paid QB in the NFL this offseason. Yes, paid more than Patrick Mahomes.

I may not see the immediate value in a Tua extension right now but I do see the immediate value in re-signing Wilkins. You simply don't draft players, develop them to become great, ask them to do better, and then turn your back on them when they do what you asked.

Hopefully, Grier has intentions of bringing back Wilkins to the Dolphins but he has to get that "value number" out of his head and be more realistic in what it is going to cost because, in the end, Grier waited and mis-valued a quality player. No one to blame here but Chris Grier.