New York Jets: Can they afford Muhammad Wilkerson?

By Paul Newbold | Sep 12, 2015

As everyone knows that remotely follows the New York Jets, the team is locked in a long contract negotiation with their star defensive end, Muhammad Wilkerson. Wilkerson and his agents have expressed their desire to make Wilkerson the highest paid defensive player in the league, or at least be paid alongside the top talent.

The negotiations have now been ongoing for two years now. Both John Idzik and Mike Maccagnan have said that a Wilkerson deal is a priority, but neither has been able to get it done. Two years, two general manager’s and still no deal on the horizon.

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Jet fans have begun to question if the team truly wants to get a deal done. Wilkerson becomes a free agent next season, and without a contract, the Jets would have to either have to use the franchise tag, give him the money or let him walk before next season. Of course there is always the possibility of a trade.

Many fans have expressed frustration that Wilkerson’s extension hasn’t been finalized. Maccagnan expressed interest in getting a deal done before the draft, and indicated it would be a priority for the organization after the draft. Yet here we are in September, and the news on the negotiations has been basically nonexistent.

To Wilkerson’s credit, he’s been a class act while awaiting to be paid. He’s shown up for everything the Jets have asked him to. He refused to “hold out” and he’s been fairly quiet on the subject in the media. It’s a stark contrast to some other NFL players that wanted to be paid. Wilkerson has handled this whole affair like a professional, a business man and he’s chosen to proceed with the season without causing any distractions in the locker room.

The contract that Wilkerson and his agent are comparing him to have just continued to climb in the interim. Ndamukong Suh signed a six-year deal worth $114 million with the Miami Dolphin back in March. The Dolphins guaranteed Suh $59 million dollars of that deal, and added a $25 million signing bonus to sweeten the deal.

Suh will make just 985,000 dollars this year, but his 2016 salary jumps to $23 million! Reportedly at the time, Wilkerson was asking for the Jets to pay him in line with the Suh deal. Suh’s average salary over the next six years comes to $19 million.

Elsewhere, J.J. Watt signed a six year $100 million dollar deal with the Houston Texans last season. At the time, it made Watt the highest paid defensive player in the league. The Texans guaranteed him $30 million dollars at signing and an additional $21 million becomes guaranteed if he is on the roster at the start of next season.

Watt is the highest rated defensive end in football and clearly is a wrecking machine on the field, he earned a deal, but he’s already falling behind in the contract frenzy. His average yearly salary is $16 million over the contracts lifetime.

Mario Williams was the first to hit the $100 million mark when he signed a six year $96 million contract with the Buffalo Bills back in 2012. The deal at the time was heralded as outrageous, but in comparison to these recent deals, it appears a bargain. Williams was given a $19 million signing bonus, to go along with his $31 million in guaranteed money as his average salary across the length of the deal is $16 million a year.

August 11, 2015; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets defensive Muhammad Wilkerson during practice at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. Mandatory Credit: John Munson/THE STAR-LEDGER via USA TODAY Sports

Just yesterday the Bills announced another big defensive contract that turned some heads around the NFL. The Bills announced they signed Marcell Dareus for the next six years at a price tag of $108 million. The details are just starting to come out, but it appears the Bills guaranteed him $65 million in the process.

The Bills provided Dareus with a $25 million signing bonus. Through the course of the contract, Dareus will earn a reported average annual salary of $15 million. Those are just a few of the deals Wilkerson’s agents will be using to gauge his worth when they step back to the negotiation table. The price keeps going up with every contract it appears.

The delay by the Jets in getting him extended has only raised his worth in his agents eyes, and as a result will only cost the Jets more money to get it done. Wilkerson without a doubt deserves a new contract from the Jets. He’s played well, been a leader on and off the field and has approached the negotiations like the class act that he is.

Wilkerson has proved himself to be an exemplary employee for the Jets. The question Jet fans will be debating as we go forward is whether he is worth one of those huge deals. The Jets will have to decide that as well.

Today I’m asking my readers to vote in the poll below if you feel Wilkerson deserves that big contract. Let’s see where the fans are at with the possibility of a future deal with him. I’d ask you please leave us a comment as well and as always, Let’s Talk Jet Football!!

Should the Jets give Muhammad Wilkerson a monster deal to keep him for the long-term future of the team?

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