Muhammad Wilkerson Signs Contract Extension with New York Jets

Mo Wilkerson has signed a contract extension with the New York Jets, just as the NFL deadline to sign franchise players crept up.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network says the deal will pay Wilkerson an average of $17 million a season over the next five years.

The Jets announced the deal in a press release Friday afternoon:

"The New York Jets announced today they have signed veteran DL Muhammad Wilkerson to a multi-year extension.Wilkerson led the club with 12 sacks last season and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. He was a key cog up front for a defense that allowed a franchise low 83.4 yards per game on the ground.A Temple product who joined the Jets as a first-round selection in 2011, Wilkerson has recorded 36.5 sacks and has paced the club in that category two of the past three seasons. In 2013, Wilkerson was voted the Curtis Martin Team MVP by his teammates after starting all 16 games and racking up 10.5 sacks along with a career-high 91 tackles. He started 16 games his rookie season and recorded a safety on the first sack of his career, when he got a hold of Luke McCown in Wilkerson’s second professional game.In 77 career games, Wilkerson has totaled 372 tackles along with 19 PDs, seven forced fumbles and one fumble recovery."

Wilkerson’s deal comes just hours after Von Miller signed the largest contract for a defensive player in NFL history.

Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker also got a deal done Friday prior to the deadline.

Trumaine Johnson, Eric Berry, Alshon Jeffrey, and Kirk Cousins have not agreed to deals as the deadline passed Friday afternoon.

With Wilkerson under contract long-term, the Jets have a potent defensive front with Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson, and Leonard Williams on the line.