Jets To Discuss Possible Extension For DE Muhammad Wilkerson Next Week

Jets owner Woody Johnson told reporters that he plans to meet with his staff next Tuesday to discuss matters relating to the team’s roster.

Johnson did confirm that a contract extension for DE Muhammad Wilkerson will be among the topics of discussion next week, per Brian Costello.

It’s been a while since we last heard anything regarding a long-term contract for Wilkerson.

Jason Cole reported back in October that it was unlikely that the Jets would have a long-term agreement in place with Wilkerson at any point in the future.

Of course, it’s been several months since this report came out and the Jets have a whole new front office, as well as a new coaching staff, so things may have changed in terms of their thinking.

At the time, Cole mentioned that the Jets weren’t willing to pay much more than the total guarantees Wilkerson would receive from his fifth-year option and a potential franchise tag in 2016 at this time. Cole mentions that this would be in the area of close to $18 million.

New GM Mike Maccagnan will likely handle negotiations much different than John Idzik, who took an extremely cap-conservative approach towards the job.

Wilkerson, 25, is already among the best defensive linemen in the NFL, but the new CBA has given teams the ability to retain first-round picks at a reasonable cost for five years by picking up their fifth-year options.

On top of that, teams will still have the franchise tag at their disposal the following year, so they could always treat this as year-to-year situation. The problem with this idea is that a team runs the risk of alienating player and setting a bad precedent for other core players.

In 2014, Wilkerson appeared in 13 games and recorded 56 tackles, six sacks, one forced fumble and and five pass defenses. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 3 defensive end in a 3-4 system.

We’ll have more regarding Wilkerson and the Jets as the news is available.