It was no secret that
Muhammad Wilkerson, the
Jets' highest paid player, was not going to be with them in 2018. I've been
reporting it since late last season, as have many others, after he was benched for much of December for being tardy. What has been far less chronicled is the degree of injuries he dealt with, with a chronic foot problem and serious shoulder issues, both of which have cleared up.
A few years removed from being compared with J.J. Watt as the most versatile and impactful defensive lineman in the NFL, Wilkerson started to pick up quick interest following his release on Wednesday. Other teams have been monitoring this situation for weeks, waiting for him to hit the open market, and he's going to fare better than some might expect. He's still just 28 years old and can play all over the line, and he was flashing back to his peak form before the late-season benching.
Trust me, his old defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, now with the
Steelers, knows what he can do and he is a scheme for the Steelers (though Pittsburgh's cap situation is tight and they have bigger needs). After shedding a lot of salary and talent already this offseason, the Chiefs need major help on defense and Wilkerson's former coordinator, Bob Sutton, thinks very highly of him. A few years back, when the Jets were trying to get Wilkerson signed, teams like the Bucs and
Raiders were intrigued ... and doesn't this seem like the quintessential Bill Belichick move as well? Buy (relatively) low on a former star from a bitter rival who fits the scheme and would solve some obvious pass-rush and run stopping woes on New England's defense?
Given the overall weakness of this free-agent class, all the more reason to like the odds of Wilkerson and some other soon-to-be released players to be just fine on the open market.
More notes from NFL combine
- Still not getting the sense that any of the quarterback-needy teams believe the Bills would actually keep Tyrod Taylor next season at $16M. Skeptics abound. Bills coach Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane were both noncommittal about the situation in their remarks with the media Wednesday. Getting anything in trade will be tough considering it's seen as a fait accompli Taylor will be cut, but we'll see.
- Hearing that agents are trying to jumpstart the linebacker market with guys like Anthony Hitchens seeking deals around $10 million a year. There are plenty of bad teams with cap space to burn, so hitting double digits may not be out of the question at all, but not sure the final price tag gets that high.
- The only question about Rob Gronkowski has been and will be, how much money does he make on his next contract, because he is line for a new one. None of my reporting ever led me to believe that retirement was ever happening, but his days of playing on a contract he has far outperformed are, indeed, over. Pats know they'll have to step up.
- Continue to hear the Jags are far more likely to keep or add several lesser-paid receivers (retaining Marquise Lee, for starters) than they are to pony up big to keep Allen Robinson.
- Will be interested to see if Mike Glennon manages to top $5 million as a backup next season after getting $19 million for a few months' work with the Bears. His best bet might be heading back to Tampa, but could Ryan Fitzpatrick return there for less money? The amount of money the Bears wasted in free agency last season is pretty daunting and hasn't gone unnoticed in other front offices even if overlooked at Halas Hall.
Pay the man
