Update:
The Jets have already announced the release of DE Muhammad Wilkerson.
We have released DL Muhammad Wilkerson. pic.twitter.com/NhLfoREpLK
— New York Jets (@nyjets) February 28, 2018
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Adam Schefter reports that the Jets have informed veteran DE Muhammad Wilkerson that he’s being released.
Reports have said for some time that the Jets were likely going to be moving on from Wilkerson this offseason, so this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.
It will be interesting to see what kind of market develops for Wilkerson, who has been an impact player in the past and may still have some good years ahead of him.
Wilkerson, 27, is a former first-round pick of the Jets back in 2011. He played out his rookie contract with the team and was in line to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason before the Jets used their franchise tag on him last year.
The Jets surprisingly locked him up to a five-year, $86 million contract that included $53.5 million guaranteed just before the deadline last year. Wilkerson was set to make base salaries of $16.75 million and $15.25 million over the next two years of the agreement.
According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Wilkerson next year would free up $11 million of available cap space while creating $9 million in dead money.
In 2017, Wilkerson appeared in 13 games for the Jets and recorded 46 tackles, 3.5 sacks, an interception, and four pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 50 interior defender out of 122 qualifying players.
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