Honestly... I hate to pay any player top 10 money.
I generally lean towards the idea that it's better to have several good players than one elite player and a couple of bums, but yeah... I know... that's not really realistic either.
So... we'll have to pay, at least a couple of these types of salaries... and I am open to letting a player like Wilkins walk... or even trying to keep him on the tag, but they are now expecting the DL tag to be around 21m because of all these new contracts.
But I keep coming back to 'emotional leader of the team'... which I think Wilkins is, and I think some here really underestimate what that means in the game of football-- the ultimate team combat sport.
I've seen so many teams win games based more on emotion and the WILL that comes from that emotional boost. Yes, it's all but impossible to quantify, but some guys just have a way of convincing their teammates to run through that wall... I spent years on the football fields, and while not at this high of a level, I saw a ton of lesser teams win because they were convinced... convinced they could.
I think Wilkins gives us that.
...and as always, yes... I could be wrong, but that's what I think I see here.
Suh was a talented player, but an emotional drag. Selfish and no leader... Wilkins is Suh, but is a huge emotional leader.
I'd do it... I'd just ask him to consider taking a slight cut due to no state taxes and the ability to play on one team for his entire career.