Woody Johnson: Jets, Wilkerson Looking for Deal That “Works for Both Sides”

[JetNation]

By Glenn Naughton

 

While Muhammad Wilkerson’s absence from this week’s organized team activities (OTA’s) will naturally generate some buzz among fans and media, Jets owner Woody Johnson says that there is still dialogue between Gang Green and Wilkerson’s reps as they look for a solution that “works for both sides“.

Earlier this offseason, Wilkerson opted to take a pass on the team’s workouts in round one of what will hopefully be a civil re-negotiation process between Gang Green and the four-year pro out of Temple.

Arguably New York’s best draft pick since Darrelle Revis, Wilkerson has played at a high level since being selected with the 30th overall selection in the 2011 draft.

In his brief pro career, he has managed to rack up 24.5 sacks, 21.5 of which have come in the last three seasons despite playing on the end of a base 3-4 scheme with a shaky secondary over each of the past two seasons.  Jets fans are hoping the settled secondary will lead to more production from Wilkerson and company up front.

As one would expect, neither side has discussed any figures publicly, but Wilkerson is said to be seeking a contract similar to the six-year deal Robert Quinn got from the St. Louis Rams that included $41 million in guarantees.

Currently Wilkerson is said to be working out on his own, while his representatives and GM Mike Maccagnan work the phones.

View the full article

[The Crusher]

This makes me happy. 

[AFJF]

I like that we're finally hearing about the kind of money he wants.  Amazed at the number of fans who have blasted Mo for demanding JJ Watt money, despite the fact that Mo never demanded JJ Watt money..as far as any of us know anyway.

 

Asking to be paid like Quinn is more in line with reality IMO.

[Jetsfan80]

Asking to be paid like Quinn is more in line with reality IMO.

 

Yep.  He's not a sack machine like Quinn but he's also asked to fill a lot more roles than Quinn does.  So their value is essentially pretty equal. 

[Ghost]

Get him done!

[AFJF]

Yep.  He's not a sack machine like Quinn but he's also asked to fill a lot more roles than Quinn does.  So their value is essentially pretty equal. 

 

Exactly...so tired of all of the "He's not worth JJ Watt money" which was based on a whole lot of nothing.

[Jetsfan80]

Quinn's deal:  http://overthecap.com/player/robert-quinn/1343

 

Watt's deal:  http://overthecap.com/player/jj-watt/1669/

 

 

Quinn's seemed to be front-loaded, which we probably wouldn't do.  He costs nearly $17M against the cap this year, then that figure drops to a little over $11M next year and never gets as high as $13M for the remaining years. 

 

I imagine we'd try to get him squeezed in at about an $11M cap figure for '15 (seeing as we have about $10.2M in cap space currently) and go up from there.  But I'm clearly not the best person to speculate on this.

[Charlie Brown]

I like that we're finally hearing about the kind of money he wants.  Amazed at the number of fans who have blasted Mo for demanding JJ Watt money, despite the fact that Mo never demanded JJ Watt money..as far as any of us know anyway.

 

Asking to be paid like Quinn is more in line with reality IMO.

Jets fans are notorious for doing this to their own players, making claims that they are asking for crazy amounts that they have never asked for.  It happened with Braylon Edwards, Mawae and others. 

 

Even when folks were saying Brad Smith was looking to break the bank it wasnt true, when in fact, he was willing to take $1 Million less from the Jets than he eventually signed for.

[Jetsfan80]

And for those who are worried about wiggle room, here's some of the players we can perhaps ask to restructure/extend::

 

Mangold:  $10.4M cap hit in 2015

Milliner:  $3.5M

Snacks:  $2.4M (final year of deal)

 

or cut outright if need be:

 

Jeff Cumberland:  $1.9M

Jaiquawn Jarrett:  $1.5M (final year of deal)

Darrin Walls:  $1.1M

 

NOTE:  Brick isn't a real possibility, as his deal is already backloaded.  Mangold, meanwhile, is due to have a cap hit of $8.6M in 2016 and $9.1M in 2017.  We could definitely move some 2015 dollars to later in the deal.

[jgb]

If only we didn't overpay Cro we could afford Mo

[Savage69]

I like that we're finally hearing about the kind of money he wants.  Amazed at the number of fans who have blasted Mo for demanding JJ Watt money, despite the fact that Mo never demanded JJ Watt money..as far as any of us know anyway.

 

Asking to be paid like Quinn is more in line with reality IMO.

It was fans that said he should get a tad less then Watt that started that in the first place..

[Jetsfan80]

Can't wait for a reasonable deal to get done so people can quit whining about the false notion that we took Leonard Williams purely so we could trade Wilk.

[jgb]

Can't wait for a reasonable deal to get done so people can quit whining about the false notion that we took Leonard Williams purely so we could trade Wilk.

 

Agree with you. Only way I could understand moving Mo is if we get a franchise QB in return, which ain't happening. Mo stays.

[Savage69]

Can't wait for a reasonable deal to get done so people can quit whining about the false notion that we took Leonard Williams purely so we could trade Wilk.

We took Williams because no way should he still have been on the board.. But that didn't exactly help Mo either..

[Jetsfan80]

We took Williams because no way should he still have been on the board.. But that didn't exactly help Mo either..

 

True.  I just don't think that when Macc took him, Mo was really anywhere on his brain.  It was just a "Holy f*ck the best player in the draft just fell to us" moment.  It may not have been a great moment for Mo when it happened, but a new deal will fix everything.  Sheldon Richardson will be the one that gets to worry next, lol.

[Villain The Foe]

Find out what his trade value is. And if its not anything worth taking then resign him, but if so then I say "You drafted Williams for a reason". You dont want to rely on a rookie so quickly, but at the end of the day this is still our position of strength and it should be quite clear that we should not be investing all of this money on one side of the ball, especially when the other side has been our achilles heel for all these years. 

 

We draft defense in the first round ever year for damn near a decade, we sign a sh_t load of defensive free agents and now we're going to resign every defensive player to second and third monster contracts (Harris)? 

 

Try to find out what the guy is worth on the open market atleast. 

[Jetsfan80]

Try to find out what the guy is worth on the open market atleast. 

 

Hard to imagine they haven't already been doing their due diligence on this.  Even if front offices have little intention to put a guy on the trade block they're always asking around the league to find out what a player's value would be in a deal.  And I also doubt there's a team out there who would give us our asking price. 

[slats]

Jets could give him new money in the form of a bonus that would be spread out over the life of the deal. Pretty easy to get done. I'm guessing that despite what they're saying publicly, drafting Williams has them thinking about trading Mo. That even if they do get together on an extension, that the Jets are looking to structure it in a trade-friendly way. If they're looking to do anything at all. The smart move from a business perspective is to pay hm his $7M now, then franchise tag him next year. Sign or trade him based on what you saw from him and Williams over the season.

[JetsFanInDenver]

I like that we're finally hearing about the kind of money he wants.  Amazed at the number of fans who have blasted Mo for demanding JJ Watt money, despite the fact that Mo never demanded JJ Watt money..as far as any of us know anyway.

 

Asking to be paid like Quinn is more in line with reality IMO.

 

I dunno where the J.J.Watt thing came from and it seemed everyone just jumped to that assumption. It great to more color added to clear all that wild speculation.

[Villain The Foe]

Hard to imagine they haven't already been doing their due diligence on this.  And I also doubt there's a team out there who would give us our asking price. 

It depends on what our asking price is. In a 3-4 defense a DE isnt the first or second most important position when it comes to defensive fronts. So hopefully our asking price isnt out of the stratosphere though it should be respectable. And in a 4-3 im not sure how good Wilkerson will be in the pass rush. He's not a speed guy at 315LB's. He'll get his sacks, but a 4-3 team will have their doubts given the scheme. 

 

I've heard people say that we should get multiple 1st round picks. Thats funny. We didnt even get that for Revis, and though he was recovering from an ACL he still garnered a 1st and a 3rd. And thats at a position that his pretty important no matter the defensive. 

 

Whatever the deal is we need to get a player in return, problem is not many teams have our "good" problem. Alot of guys that could be available for trade may not be the kind of players that we're looking for and you dont want to necessarily give up Wilsonson for two unknowns such as Leonard Williams and a future draft pick(s). 

 

It's a tough situation, but as OTA's and the preseason play out an opportunity may come around. 

[JetsFanInDenver]

Woody coming out and making this statement means the JETS are not willing to give Mo a deal close to Quinn and not anything that is front loaded. So the JETS are targeting Mo at less than Quinn price.

 

At this point unless Mo and his agents back off there is no deal getting done.

[LouisvilleSlugger25]

If only we didn't overpay Cro we could afford Mo

 

 

The cap hit this year for Cro is about the same as other CBs that were available this year (in the 6.5/7/.5 million range). So you can whine all you want about the deal, but it was fair in this years market. 

[jgb]

The cap hit this year for Cro is about the same as other CBs that were available this year (in the 6.5/7/.5 million range). So you can whine all you want about the deal, but it was fair in this years market. 

 

I am being sarcastic.

[Savage69]

Woody coming out and making this statement means the JETS are not willing to give Mo a deal close to Quinn and not anything that is front loaded. So the JETS are targeting Mo at less than Quinn price.

 

At this point unless Mo and his agents back off there is no deal getting done.

He's due 7 million this year why would they want to give him almost double?? This gives them a chance to see if Williams is the real deal before paying Mo more.. Mo can always hold out this year if he thinks that's the way to go.. Maybe Revis's Uncle Sean is also advising him..LOL

[Jetsfan80]

I've heard people say that we should get multiple 1st round picks. Thats funny. We didnt even get that for Revis, and though he was recovering from an ACL he still garnered a 1st and a 3rd. And thats at a position that his pretty important no matter the defensive.

 

I'd say two firsts should be the starting point in negotiations just so teams realize we're not actively trying to move him and it will require a lot to get him as a result.  But in the end, at least one first would need to be in the deal, plus another pick.  The 1st and 3rd/4th we got for Revis seems like pretty fair compensation for Wilkerson.  I don't think any team out there offers up a 1st and 2nd, even if that 2nd is in 2017.

 

A 3-4 DE might not be as valuable as a top corner, but as has been said before, he can play nearly any position on the DL effectively.  That makes him one of the top 5 DL in the game as a result.  Basically any team in the NFL would gladly hand over their 2016 first round pick for his services.  How much more than the one 1st rounder is what would be in question.

[Clementi49]

Good. So hopefully we can drop debating it now.

[DaBallhawk]

I like that we're finally hearing about the kind of money he wants.  Amazed at the number of fans who have blasted Mo for demanding JJ Watt money, despite the fact that Mo never demanded JJ Watt money..as far as any of us know anyway.

 

Asking to be paid like Quinn is more in line with reality IMO.

 

The Quinn deal is just speculation but it's obviously something he'd likely shoot for and deserves at this point. Quinn was a beast that year but his deal is "outdated", so Mo should be in the same ballpark now. I've mentioned months ago that's what he'll probably end up making. Not sure who came up with this JJ Watt garbage.

[Savage69]

The Quinn deal is just speculation but it's obviously something he'd likely shoot for and deserves at this point. Quinn was a beast that year but his deal is "outdated", so Mo should be in the same ballpark now. I've mentioned months ago that's what he'll probably end up making. Not sure who came up with this JJ Watt garbage.

Some fans were saying Mo should get a little less then Watt at least that's where I read it..

[JetsFanInDenver]

I'd say two firsts should be the starting point in negotiations just so teams realize we're not actively trying to move him and it will require a lot to get him as a result.  But in the end, at least one first would need to be in the deal, plus another pick.  The 1st and 3rd/4th we got for Revis seems like pretty fair compensation for Wilkerson.  I don't think any team out there offers up a 1st and 2nd, even if that 2nd is in 2017.

 

A 3-4 DE might not be as valuable as a top corner, but as has been said before, he can play nearly any position on the DL effectively.  That makes him one of the top 5 DL in the game as a result.  Basically any team in the NFL would gladly hand over their 2016 first round pick for his services.  How much more than the one 1st rounder is what would be in question.

 

I thought the Revis deal was a bargain for Tampa. But Tampa screwed itself enough in that deal to make the JETS look in a winner in that trade.

 

To me Revis is a potential HOF player. While Mo have been very good i do not rate him as a HOF caliber player, atleast not as yet.

 

So one 1st rounder would be great compensation for him.

 

Infact the JETS do not have to trade him now. Keep him for the 7 mill, he has no other option BUT to show up. Let him play on a defensive live that will be killer and hope it elevates his stats beyond the normal to a point where someone is willing to give up a Top 20 pick for him next season. You do risk injury here but that should be an acceptable risk to take for a young player.

[DaBallhawk]

Some fans were saying Mo should get a little less then Watt at least that's where I read it..

 

That's insane. That'd mean Sheldon should be getting paid more than Watt next year, or at least the same amount.

[GREENBEAN]

Find out what his trade value is. And if its not anything worth taking then resign him, but if so then I say "You drafted Williams for a reason". You dont want to rely on a rookie so quickly, but at the end of the day this is still our position of strength and it should be quite clear that we should not be investing all of this money on one side of the ball, especially when the other side has been our achilles heel for all these years. 

 

We draft defense in the first round ever year for damn near a decade, we sign a sh_t load of defensive free agents and now we're going to resign every defensive player to second and third monster contracts (Harris)? 

 

Try to find out what the guy is worth on the open market atleast. 

I think they are doing just that. That's the holdup.  This new GM seems like a due diligence kinda guy and will more than likely explore all options before making a move either way. 

God it's good to think our regime has a set of brains in their heads. 

 

I'm curious to see how this turns out.  I think they will ultimately resign Mo. 

[Savage69]

That's insane. That'd mean Sheldon should be getting paid more than Watt next year, or at least the same amount.

??? As much as I like Sheldon he's not on Watts level either..

[DaBallhawk]

??? As much as I like Sheldon he's not on Watts level either..

No, I'm just going by their logic that Mo deserves "a little less" than Watt. It makes no sense.

[Jet Nut]

No, I'm just going by their logic that Mo deserves "a little less" than Watt. It makes no sense.

Contracts are a combination of a lot of things, cap space, need, worth to that team.  

 

Someone below Revis's level will get a bigger deal than Revis.  Like when Aso got more.  Doesnt mean he's better.

[DaBallhawk]

Contracts are a combination of a lot of things, cap space, need, worth to that team.  

 

Someone below Revis's level will get a bigger deal than Revis.  Like when Aso got more.  Doesnt mean he's better.

 

There's no combination on this planet that you could come up with that would make Mo the highest paid DE or defender in the league.