Muhammad Wilkerson Starting To Believe Time With Jets Is Done

The NFL can be a cold and often cruel business.  All-Pro defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is learning that first hand with the New York Jets.

After all, this is a man in his physical prime at age 26 coming off the best season of his career with 12 sacks.  Yet as time passes it’s becoming clearer that the Jets are hesitant to offer him a long-term contract beyond the franchise tag they used to keep him in place for 2016.  It has led to untold frustration for Wilkerson, so much in fact that he finally came out and said so during an interview with the New York Post.

"“It’s shocking. It’s frustrating,” Wilkerson told the newspaper. “Because I feel like I’ve earned it and I deserve it. It would be different if I was just a mediocre player. I feel like each and every week I’m dominating and it’s showing. The stats speak for themselves. Basically, what more do I need to do? You know what I mean?”“Do I feel that they want me back? As of right now, no. I don’t feel like they want me,” Wilkerson said. “I’m a talented guy. Everybody knows that. I feel like they’re going to get the best they can out of me and just let me go. That’s how I feel. Do I like that feeling? No. I’m a New Jersey guy, born and raised and would love to raise my family here.”"

He has right to feel this way.  No player has given the New York Jets defense more of a dominant presence than him over the past three years both as a run defender and pass rusher.  It can feel like quite the betrayal when that team is not willing to reward you for the pain and hard work.  At the same time he’s caught up in a rough numbers game.  The Jets are walking a fine line in terms of salary cap space.  With Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams in place as well, it might not be the best business decision to invest three massive contracts in just one area of the roster.

Wilkerson also wasn’t helped by outside factors, most notably the recent extension handed down by the Philadelphia Eagles to star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.  It’s a massive deal worth $103 million over six years that includes a staggering $63 million guaranteed ($36.3 million fully). Wilkerson believes he’s every bit as good as or even better than Cox and he’s got an argument.  In his four seasons, Cox had 212 tackles, 22 sacks and five forced fumbles.  In his past four seasons Wilkerson has 252 tackles, 33.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles and an interception.

It’s enough to make a man lose faith in the value of playing his hardest for team, knowing the possibility exists that they’ll hang him out to dry.  Fortunately they may all end up being moot.  If Muhammad Wilkerson has another solid year in 2016, he’ll have made $15.7 million from his franchise tag and be a free agent in 2017.  Teams will line up with their checkbooks for a chance to sign him.  So he’ll get his money.  It just may not end up being from the team he expected.