NY Jets Video: Team smart to tag Muhammad Wilkerson

The NY Jets officially placed their franchise tag on defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson. It was a smart move considering everything he brings to the table and how both sides are still far apart on a deal.

The Jets knew they couldn’t let Wilkerson head into free agency and lose one of their top defensive players on the team. For the past few years now, contract talks have stalled since both sides are having a very hard time in agreeing to what his true worth really is.

Our friends over at 120 Sports recently made a video breaking down the franchise tagging of Wilkerson and if it makes sense for the Jets. Here it is in its entirety below:

Needless to say, it was a smart move to at least ensure he’ll be back in 2016 for the Jets. Coming off his best season ever, Wilkerson believes he’s worth the kind of money a player like J.J. Watt commands, but the Jets might have a different mindset.

Wilkerson is also coming off a broken leg injury as there is no guarantee he’ll be back as the same player we all saw transform into these past few years on the Jets. While he deserves a long-term contract and an obvious pay-raise, the Jets know they can’t invest so much time and resources to one player if they plan to be contenders under their new leadership regime over the next few years.

At the end of the day, it’s all about business and as much as fans love Wilkerson, this entire franchise tag could go many different ways. He could get the long-term contract he’s seeking at some point this offseason to keep him on the team for years to come.

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Wilkerson could even be traded to another team for draft picks and/or players if the Jets feel they’re too far apart in contract negotiations. Either way, the ball is in the court of the Jets to determine what is in the best interest of the overall team. So far, they got things right for now by franchise tagging him and seeing how everything plays out over time.