Contract of Fletcher Cox sets bar for Muhammad Wilkerson

The New York Jets now have a new bar to grasp thanks to Philadelphia Eagles’ star Fletcher Cox that has just agreed to a monster contract extension. What does it now mean for defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson?

The contract holdout persists for Muhammad Wilkerson and the New York Jets. One way or another a new vital piece of information has entered the fold and could change things. From all the reports that we’ve gathered over the last several months, these contract figures were right in the ballpark of what Wilkerson was looking for. These particular guarantees for Fletcher Cox are reportedly the highest in NFL history for a non-quarterback.

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Which leads us to the following question, does Cox’s contract set the bar for Wilkerson? Well to know that answer, we have to pure facts, you know, actual statistics.

Lets compare the stats of Cox and Wilkerson and see if they’re in the same tier of players. Cox was drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft, with the 12th overall pick. While Wilkerson was drafted one season earlier in the 2011 NFL Draft with the 30th pick.

Wilkerson career stats:

• 36.5 sacks
• 302 combined tackles
• 9 forced fumbles

Cox career stats:

• 22 sacks
• 212 combined tackles
• 5 forced fumbles

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So grabbing the gaudy statistics that jump out on you on the stat sheet, these players are most certainly comparable.

So with one extra season, Wilkerson has accumulated 14.5 sacks, four more forced fumbles and nearly a 100 more tackles more than Cox.

So in essence Cox would have to have a career year in every major statistical category to tie Wilkerson’s career numbers.

So why would Wilkerson’s camp want any less than Cox when they go the negotiating table?

Wilkerson’s talent has never been in question, his heart or desire have never been in question, and the Jets put themselves in this position by drafting Leonard Williams. For better or worse, the Jets are in a pickle and will have to figure out what to do sooner rather than later.

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The sooner the Jets get this deal done with Wilkerson the better because his price tag is only going to continue to go up with his play. Cox’s deal doesn’t just set the bar, but it could very well set the floor for contract negotiations moving forward.