Chad Wiestling, the agent for Jets DL Muhammad Wilkerson, tells Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports that they will not entertain any further contract talks with the team regarding a long-term extension.
According to Wiestling, discussions between the two parties were sporadic at best and never got anywhere close to a deal this offseason, and Wilkerson is now focused solely on playing football.
“They had seven months to work something out with us,” Wiestling explained. “Mo is a local kid who wants to be a Jet and loved being a Jet, but the time to talk about a contract has passed. Mo is focused on playing football.”
La Canfora writes that Wilkerson’s asking price will only climb from here, especially now that the Bills signed DT Marcell Dareus to a six-year, $95.1 million extension. On top of that, Wilkerson is off to a phenomenal start to the season, and has the ability to test the open market next year.
Interestingly enough, La Canfora suggests that if the Jets end up franchising Wilkerson next year, at a cost of around $16 million, they could consider fielding trade offers for him at that point in time.
La Canfora believes a sign-and-trade deal could make the most sense for all parties, and mentions that the Browns and Raiders were among the teams most interested in his services this past offseason.
Wilkerson, 25, is already among the best defensive linemen in the NFL and has clearly earned for a big raise after the contracts signed by marquee players in recent months.
This season, Wilkerson has recorded 18 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pass defense over the course of three games. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 1 defensive end in a 3-4 system.
We’ll have more regarding the Jets and Wilkerson as the news is available.
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