Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Williams could sit on sideline to start free agency
Miami Dolphins center Connor Williams has one of the more unusual free-agent situations this offseason.
A sound player and impressive blocker in his two seasons at center since transitioning from guard, where he played his first four seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, Williams also tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Miami’s Dec. 11 Monday night loss to the Tennessee Titans.
With free-agent negotiations beginning March 11, Williams could wait to see how rehab progresses, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
“I do think that we’re going to be very methodical and take our time relative to the contract,” Rosenhaus told 560-AM Friday morning. “A lot of it may be predicated on how Connor is feeling physically. He may not be a player that signs at the very start of free agency. He may take more time based on how he’s feeling physically.”
Williams, due to his strong play at center, was likely in line for a major payday had he not gotten injured late in the season.
“Connor’s situation has a degree of uncertainty that’s going to be tied to how he’s feeling,” Rosenhaus said. “And really, we’ll just take it one day at a time once we get into the offseason. But I’m not sure that that is one that’ll be
resolved as quickly as some of the other players that we represent.”
Williams sat out Dolphins organized team activities and mandatory minicamp last offseason while negotiating a contract extension. He returned for training camp and played out the last year of his deal.
If Miami doesn’t bring in
another starting center early in free agency or the draft, Williams’ delay in negotiating his free agency could benefit the team if the Dolphins move on from cornerback Xavien Howard with a post-June 1 designation.
Rosenhaus also discussed outside linebacker Andrew Van
Ginkel as he enters another freeagent offseason.
“Of course, this Dolphins organization is interested in re-signing Andrew, and Gink is also going to be coveted by several other teams,” Rosenhaus said.
Van Ginkel may be extra valuable early next season if fellow edge rushers Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are not ready to play coming off a torn Achilles and torn ACL, respectively. Van Ginkel also showed versatility playing both on the edge and as an off-ball linebacker.
“He’s got a great spirit,” Rosenhaus said. “He plays hard. He’s awesome in the locker room and in the community, and he’s just the kind of guy that’s a winning football player.
“He’ll be very well sought-after. Whether or not he remains with the Dolphins, there’s mutual interest, but obviously it’s going to come down to, I’m sure, the start of free agency and what the market looks like and how the Dolphins are going to compete with other clubs.”
While not his client, Rosenhaus opined that the Dolphins should do what they can to retain defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who enters free agency after five seasons in Miami. He was Miami’s 2019 first-round draft pick.
“I think the Dolphins have to find a way to keep him,” Rosenhaus said. “You don’t draft and develop a player like this over five years only to lose him. That’s just not how you win in this league.”
The agent also feels it would be beneficial for the Dolphins to extend quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s contract, both because he believes Tagovailoa has proven he can lead the team and because it would be beneficial in present-day salary-cap implications.