Muhammad Wilkerson ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

-- A look at the New York Jets players who were “up” and those who were “down” in Thursday's 22-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium  :

UP

Muhammad Wilkerson: He was the best defensive player on the field, recording two sacks, his sixth and seventh of the season. On one sack, Wilkerson ran down Tyrod Taylor in the backfield, no easy task. It's rare to see a 315-pound man move that quickly in space, but he showed terrific closing speed. He finished with six tackles and three quarterback hits. The play that will haunt him was missing LeSean McCoy in the backfield on a third-and-2 play.

rest of above article :

>     http://espn.go.com/blog/newyork-jets/post/_/id/56103/mo-wilkerson-up-ryan-fitzpatrick-down-in-jets-loss

[joewilly12]

Pay the man you restructure guys like Harris,D-Brick possibly Cro or you cut him and you definitely cut Pace. 

[Savage69]

if he plays like watt yes but he isnt and if ryan fitzpatrick played like brady id give him 20 mill

I guess that shows BB is smarter then you since Brady is getting 14 million a contract you would give Mo.. I wish Mo would come out and say what he wants something isn't right there..

[jdeacon]

Wilkerson deserves to be paid. I don't care if it puts us at risk of losing another player. He is a elite de that is homegrown, you don't let talent like that walk out the door.

 

[Savage69]

Wilkerson deserves to be paid. I don't care if it puts us at risk of losing another player. He is a elite de that is homegrown, you don't let talent like that walk out the door.

 

They let Revis walk and he was a All Pro... Mac can deal with Revis and others but not Mo?? Why I wonder??

[chirorob]

They let Revis walk and he was a All Pro... Mac can deal with Revis and others but not Mo?? Why I wonder??

Something is odd about the whole thing.  But Mo played really well yesterday.

[Savage69]

Something is odd about the whole thing.  But Mo played really well yesterday.

I think Mo is a excellent player and fans complained Mac overpaid on some other contracts so he's not Idzik cheap by any means.. Like I said something stinks in Mo-town..

[EM31]

Mo deserves to get paid but the Suh contract is an aberration and I would be highly skeptical that Miami would do that deal for that money again today if they had the chance.

As much as I would hate to lose him I think we need to prepare ourselves for that possibility.

[jdeacon]

They let Revis walk and he was a All Pro... Mac can deal with Revis and others but not Mo?? Why I wonder??

I really cannot take anything Idzik did and take it seriously. That gm was serious detriment to our team with his first action being trading away revis to replace him with milliner. I have to believe Mac will do a more competent job but time will tell.

I have heard nothing though so at this point it is all speculation and fan bias.

[Klecko73isGod]

I think Mo is a excellent player and fans complained Mac overpaid on some other contracts so he's not Idzik cheap by any means.. Like I said something stinks in Mo-town..

No it doesn't. Wilkerson plays at a position of strength for the Jets. He is in the last year of his rookie contract and can be franchise tagged in the offseason. It is also a position with a quickly rising price tag. 

The Jets take this year to assess and develop Williams. Assess the play of Richardson and Wilkerson. Then in the offseason, you tag Mo and entertain trade offers for both him and Richardson and look for the best deal. 

I prefer to keep Mo because of his heart and tenacity and I also believe Sheldon will get back more in a trade as most feel he has the higher ceiling. 

If this comes out with Mo signing a longterm deal before training camp 2016 with Richardson garnering us a 1st rounder and Williams developing into the beast he projects to we are gonna be in an amazing position.

Look for a team who needs defensive help in the top five and send them Richardson and take the best QB available? I like that plan. 

[Savage69]

No it doesn't. Wilkerson plays at a position of strength for the Jets. He is in the last year of his rookie contract and can be franchise tagged in the offseason. It is also a position with a quickly rising price tag. 

The Jets take this year to assess and develop Williams. Assess the play of Richardson and Wilkerson. Then in the offseason, you tag Mo and entertain trade offers for both him and Richardson and look for the best deal. 

I prefer to keep Mo because of his heart and tenacity and I also believe Sheldon will get back more in a trade as most feel he has the higher ceiling. 

If this comes out with Mo signing a longterm deal before training camp 2016 with Richardson garnering us a 1st rounder and Williams developing into the beast he projects to we are gonna be in an amazing position.

Look for a team who needs defensive help in the top five and send them Richardson and take the best QB available? I like that plan. 

Looks like both Winston and Mariota will pan out so far..

[Klecko73isGod]

Looks like both Winston and Mariota will pan out so far..

So?

[CaliforniaJet]

We will lose Mo, this is the Jets. This is going to happen for sure. Maybe he will go to the Bills, that way him and Rex can come back and beat us up every year. 

[CrazyCarl40]

Pay the man you restructure guys like Harris,D-Brick possibly Cro or you cut him and you definitely cut Pace. 

Cro can definitely be cut. So can Coples. Brick restructuring makes sense, I don't think Harris does. Pace is a free agent after 2015. You also need to do something with Harrison, Ivory, Fitz, etc.

[Savage69]

So?

Just a statement since you mentioned Qb's nothing earth shaking unless Mariota fell to 6..

[Savage69]

Cro can definitely be cut. So can Coples. Brick restructuring makes sense, I don't think Harris does. Pace is a free agent after 2015. You also need to do something with Harrison, Ivory, Fitz, etc.

Since most players with Mo's comparable stats have been signed why do you think Mo isn't signed??

[CrazyCarl40]

Since most players with Mo's comparable stats have been signed why do you think Mo isn't signed??

I'm guessing it all comes down to the dollar signs. Mo thinks he's worth X and the Jets tell him he's worth Z. Maybe they find a middle ground in Y, but with the Franchise tag, they don't have to be in a big rush. He, Snacks and Richardson are all up soon on contracts. Might as well let it play out and see who is worth keeping because you can't keep them all.

[Klecko73isGod]

Just a statement since you mentioned Qb's nothing earth shaking unless Mariota fell to 6..

I think we would have taken him if he did. 

It was just not gonna happen. 

[Savage69]

I think we would have taken him if he did. 

It was just not gonna happen. 

Neither was Williams falling to 6 but yes if both did you take the QB for sure..

[jgb]

I guess that shows BB is smarter then you since Brady is getting 14 million a contract you would give Mo.. I wish Mo would come out and say what he wants something isn't right there..

bellichick is lucky he got brady in the 6th and brady's wife is richer than he is. belichick is definitely a wise football coach but not because he won the QB lottery in historic fashion.

[jgb]

Wilkerson deserves to be paid. I don't care if it puts us at risk of losing another player. He is a elite de that is homegrown, you don't let talent like that walk out the door.

 

a voice of reason only in jets land do fans hope players don't become elite because we don't want to pay for elite players

 

[kelly]

- "Mo-tron.''

"Wilk-shake.''

"Broadway Mo.''

Refer to Muhammad Wilkerson any way you like. Just make sure you game-plan for him. The Jets defensive end is off to a hot start, registering seven sacks for a unit ranked No. 4 overall.

"I just go out and do my job and play hard,'' Wilkerson said with a smile Tuesday night during a break from serving Thanksgiving turkeys and pies to residents of his hometown. His third annual "Thanksgiving SACKS'' event served food to 200 families.

The injured toe that forced him to miss three games last season still bothers him, he said. But it doesn't appear to slow him in games. So is this the best he's played in his career?

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"The season's not up yet,'' Wilkerson said, smiling again. "I'm hoping I finish healthy and go from there.''

His teammates have come to expect this type of production from him.

"He's been making plays since I've been in the league. Nothing's changed,'' said tackle Sheldon Richardson, the 2013 Defensive Rookie of the Year. "If you leave him unblocked, he's going to cause havoc. I'm used to it. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. He's the guy. He's the guy right now.''

One thing that does surprise them is that Wilkerson is still waiting for the long-term contract extension he's been seeking since last year. The 2011 first-round pick is making $6.969 million this season.

Wilkerson's play is proving he's worth big money, nose tackle Damon Harrison said. "You can't say enough about the guy,'' he said. "The numbers speak for themselves and [everything] he does doesn't show up in the stat sheet.

"You would like to see a guy like that get what he deserves. He's not rushing, he's not worried about it. He'll get it in due time.''

Twice, Wilkerson chased down the quick Tyrod Taylor in Thursday night's loss to Buffalo and twice sacked him. "Pretty nimble,'' said Harrison, who later called Wilkerson "the dancing bear.''

Harrison rattled off more nicknames for Wilkerson before settling on his favorite. "You like, 'In Mo We Trust'?'' he asked reporters. "I like it, too.''

Texans' Hoyer ailing. Texans quarterback Brian Hoyer's status is in question for Sunday against the Jets because of a concussion he suffered in Monday's win over the Bengals. Bill O'Brien said Hoyer was in the NFL's concussion protocol and characterized him as "day to day.'' If he can't play, T.J. Yates will start. -- AP

>   http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/jets/jets-muhammad-wilkerson-off-to-hot-start-1.11136389

[Beerfish]

"Wilkerson deserves to be paid. I don't care if it puts us at risk of losing another player. He is a elite de that is homegrown, you don't let talent like that walk out the door."

Except he has not shown himself to be elite as of yet.  To this point in his career for the most part he is elite for half a year before tailing off.  If he keeps up his level of lay this year and ends up with 13-14 sacks and his usual disruptive force then he will get paid and will deserve it.  He has had at least a couple of years where he was lights out the 1st half and faded badly the 2nd half for a variety of reasons.

The Jets have handled this perfectly so far imo.  This is truly a show me you are elite year for him and there was no good reason to give him the monster deal last year when half this board was calling for it.

[kelly]

The  time and place for locking up New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson to a long-term deal will come when the offseason is over, so says general manager Mike Maccagnan - who hailed one of his team's biggest stars while preaching that his team will get through this season before re-igniting contract talks. 

Wilkerson, in the last year of his rookie contract, has been seeking a long-term deal from the team since last offseason. He missed offseason workouts and Organized Team Activities (OTAs)  during the spring, creating questions of a possible holdout. But the former first round pick made minicamp, as well as training camp, despite no long-term deal being reached. 

Maccagnan sounded pleased about Wilkerson, but said that his 5-4 Jets - smack dab in the middle of the season - will not be trying to sign the player at this juncture."Mo has done a very good job and we're very happy with what he's done so far. And even just having been around him more now then I was in the offseason, obviously missing time in offseason and OTAs, but everything with my standpoint from Mo has been positive," Maccagnan said on Wednesday when he met with reporters at the team's facility. 

"I think as a team we're very happy with Mo. Those are things we'll address when the season is over." 

Wilkerson was an All-Pro selection in 2013,  He's putting together another solid year for the Jets that likely should get him his first ever Pro Bowl nod. Wilkerson has 38 tackles this year and seven sacks, the latter of which leads the Jets. 

>      http://www.metro.us/new-york/jets-gm-mike-maccagnan-very-happy-with-muhammad-wilkerson-but-new-deal-will-have-to-wait/zsJokr---ThF7qyReQYo8w/

[jetsfan_toronto_canada]

I wonder if part of the plan all along was to see how he plays in Bowles defence as well, get a feel for it before you commit big time - it really isn't a rush as others have said - another thing also that ups moe's value is that you don't have to worry about off field issues.  Not to mention he is awesome on the field too.  Those Tyrod sacks were serious.

[kelly]

Since the start of the 2013 season, Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson has racked up 23.5 sacks in 38 games. Wilkerson, who collected two sacks of Tyrod Taylor in Week 10, leads the Green & White with seven.“I didn’t realize how good he actually is. To being able to see him work every day, he is a tremendous talent,” said defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers of Wilkerson. “And the thing is he comes across as quiet, but he is a leader over there. He’s always, ‘What can I do? Do I need to do more? What do we need to do?’ He is a really good player, really a strong leader for us.”

Wilkerson ranks fourth on the defense with 43 tackles, and second with 18 QB pressures. The 6’4”, 315-pounder is a versatile performer who remains stout against the run and is on pace to break his career high of 10.5 sacks in 2013.

“You want him at the nose, he’ll be in there,” Rodgers said. “You want him at the 3-technique, he’ll be there. You put him at end. His versatility, he’s just a really good player.”

Jets QB Ryan Fitzpatrick will return to Houston this week and face a Texans team that traded him to the Green & White in March. Fitzpatrick, a 32-year-old veteran signalcaller who is operating in a Chan Gailey offense for a fourth season, has some freedom to audible on occasion.“There are certain things we can get in and can get out of, and there are certain things that we don’t get out of,” Gailey told the media today. “We’ve given him freedom in quite a few areas, but some areas we don’t and that varies week to week depending on the game plan and who we’re playing and what we think we’re getting and things like that.”With Gailey and Fitzpatrick on the same page, the Jets rank No. 1 overall in converting both red zone (71.0%) and goal-to-goal possessions (88.2%) into touchdowns. Eric Decker is the team leader in receiving touchdowns with seven and his 45 TDs since 2010 are tied for fourth-most in the league among wideouts.

“One thing that helps is they’re doubling Brandon, so he gets a decent amount of the 1-on-1 coverage,” Gailey said of Decker. “And he has a unique knack for finding the creases in the zone if they play zone. And if it’s man, he gets on the right edge and Fitz knows where he’s going to be. And when you get on the right edge and when Fitz knows where you are and where you’re going to be, it works out. He’s got a unique knack for having a feel for the game, especially down in the red zone.”Bobby April admitted it's been a frustrating season for him as special teams coordinator, in large part because of three plays the Jets have given up: Darren Sproles' punt-return TD vs. Philadelphia, the blocked-punt TD recovery by Washington, and, last Thursday, the Bills' return of Devin Smith's fumbled kickoff return.But April remains bullish about his "teams" and especially about Smith, the second-round rookie who he said will continue to see work on kick returns.

"I've got a lot of confidence in the young man," April said. "I think he's going to be good. I think he is good. He's got things he's got to improve on, and I think he's willing to take those steps to do it. And he's a talented kid, he's a tough guy, he'll go up in the briar patch, and he's fast."We want to see the guy do it and we think he can do it. We think he's a big-play player. So from a special teams standpoint, we want this guy to make some plays for us and we're not going to be pulling back every rein because he made a mistake."

>     http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-6/Rodgers-Wilkerson-a-Strong-Leader/4288886c-9bf1-44f2-9e61-70517bb91eff

[kelly]

–- The New York Jets were concerned about Marcus Mariota running all over them.

As it turned out, Mariota was running for his life on Sunday thanks in part to Muhammad Wilkerson’s career day. Wilkerson sacked the rookie quarterback three times as the Jets collected five sacks in their 30-8 rout over Tennessee.

Wilkerson has been a terror for quarterbacks as of late, registering seven sacks in his last five games.“Mo is definitely in beast mode right now,” Jets safety Calvin Pryor said. “He is unstoppable right now. Everybody is starting to take notice.”

The Jets hit Mariota seven times, but it certainly felt like a lot more than that. Mariota passed for 274 yards but had an interception and no touchdowns. And one game after throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for 112 yards (including an 87-yard touchdown) against Jacksonville, Mariota was held to just three yards rushing against the Jets.“We know he is an elusive guy but our job as pass-rushers is to have precise rushing lanes,” Wilkerson said. “And I think we did that pretty well today.”And to think, head coach Todd Bowles thought Wilkerson actually could have added even more to his sack total but missed on a sack or two. Still, Bowles said Wilkerson set the tone with his play.

“Three sacks,” linebacker David Harris said. “That’s crazy.”Wilkerson already has surpassed his career high of 10.5 sacks with 12 on the season. If Wilkerson keeps playing like this, some team will end up paying the defensive end crazy money when he becomes a free agent after the season.

“I am hoping it’s us,” Pryor said.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57063/mo-wilkerson-continues-tear

[kelly]

 — It is silly that this is even in question now, isn't it? The Jets are going to pay Muhammad Wilkerson. The Jets have to pay Muhammad Wilkerson. 

 

If the Jets don't pay Muhammad Wilkerson, some other team eventually will, and you know who correctly pointed that out in an interview last month? Muhammad Wilkerson.He wasn't about to go there again after the Jets' easy 30-8 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday afternoon improved this team's record to 8-5 on the season. No, when asked about his three-sack performance in the victory, his answer succinct, to say the least: 

"I just do my job. Stop the run. Get after the passer." 

That was 12 words, in case you were wondering — or one for every sack he already has this season. He spent so much time in the Tennessee backfield on Sunday, it was as if he designated himself as a one-man rookie initiation program for quarterback Marcus Mariota.The Jets haven't won three straight games since 2011, and they haven't enjoyed many like this that were truly over at halftime since then, either. This one was, and while Ryan Fitzpatrick is on a nice little roll here, this dominant defense was the reason.Wilkerson is a huge part of that. He was practically unblockable on Sunday, and that freed up rookie Leonard Williams and linebacker Demario Davis and tackle Sheldon Richardson to get after Mariota, too. Wilkerson himself won't say so, but his teammates certainly will.  

"Mo is definitely in beast mode," safety Calvin Pryor said. "He's unstoppable right now. Everybody is starting to take notice. He's a great player. He keeps getting the job done." 

Someone, Prior was told, is going to pay him a lot this offseason. 

"I'm hoping it's us," he replied.

Hoping? The Jets better be beyond hoping. Wilkerson was smart to cut off contract extension talks during the season, because he is driving up his value with every game. If re-signing him isn't the team's No. 1 priority in the offseason, it's hard to imagine what else is on the list. 

He was relentless on Sunday. He hurried Mariota on his second throw of the game, sacked him twice in the final few minutes of the second quarter, and then forced him to fumble after a sack early in the fourth. He also had two tackles for loss and a pass batted down. 

Neither veteran has played in the postseason.

It was a great performance, and as head coach Todd Bowles pointed out, "He missed one or two. He could have had more."

The Titans stink. There is no denying that. But Wilkerson's big day elevated him from ninth to seventh on the franchise's all-time sack list (with 36.5), and for a player who also is an extremely effective run stopper, that number is even more impressive.   

"Everybody else feeds off his energy," Williams said, and the rookie credits Wilkerson as one reason why, after a slow start getting after the quarterback, he has a sack in each of the last two games. "I'm fortunate to be behind a guy like that, because I could learn a lot from him." 

He has learned a lot from him, and if the Jets are smart, he'll continue to do so for many seasons to come. GM Mike Maccagnan is a smart guy. He knew he had a boatload of issues to address right off the bat and Wilkerson, who is earning $6.9 million in the final year of his contract, wasn't one of them. 

If negotiations break down again this offseason, the Jets can still use the franchise tag on Wilkerson. But with that price tag potentially as high as $16 million, it could serve as motivation for both sides to get a deal done.

This much is clear: Wilkerson is playing like one of the five best defensive ends in the NFL right now. He is earning that salary, and it is hard to believe that the team doesn't recognize his impact.  

"I just do my job," Wilkerson said. "Stop the run. Get after the passer."

He is doing all three right now, a big reason why this team enters the final three games of the season in prime position to end that four-season playoff drought ... and maybe do a little damage when they get there.

The Jets are going to pay Muhammad Wilkerson. The Jets have to pay Muhammad Wilkerson. This has to be a moot issue by now.

Right ?

>      http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/pay_the_man_muhammad_wilkerson_is_earning_his_payd.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

-- In the post-New York Sack Exchange era, the New York Jets haven't produced many truly great individual seasons on defense. In fact, they've had only five All-Pro seasons since the mid-1980s -- Mo Lewis (1998), John Abraham (2001) and Darrelle Revis (2009-2011).

Muhammad Wilkerson is having one of those years. If he isn't named to the All-Pro team, he should at least be selected to his first Pro Bowl. If not, the Jets should hire Ted Wells to conduct an investigation. Not even Wells would botch that one because it's way more probable than not that Wilkerson is among the top defensive ends in the NFL.

"I think I'm up there," Wilkerson said Tuesday in a rare moment of braggadocio. "I think I'm with the best of the best in this business."

Six defensive ends will be named next Tuesday to the Pro Bowl. Other than J.J. Watt, who's better than Wilkerson?Not only does his sack total jump off the page -- 12, fourth most in the NFL -- but it's important to remember how he got them. He plays end in a 3-4 defense, and everybody knows that's not a position conducive to gaudy statistics.When the Jets play a four-man front, Wilkerson moves inside, responsible for the heavy lifting. He has lined up as an interior lineman on 42 percent of his defensive snaps, according to ESPN Stats & Information. It's harder to get sacks from a defensive-tackle position, but Wilkerson still is ringing up big numbers -- a career high, to be precise.

"I knew he was a great player," coach Todd Bowles said. "Mo's been having a good year. I don't think the season [is based on] sacks -- I mean, sacks help out a lot -- but I knew he was a great player. I expected him to play like this. Not knowing him or having coached him, you kind of get a feel as you go along, but we knew Mo was capable of doing these types of things."Wilkerson has been in the Pro Bowl conversation since 2013, when he broke out with a 10.5-sack season. He was overlooked that year and again last year. It can't possibly happen again. Of last year's Pro Bowl defensive ends, only Watt (13.5 sacks) is delivering an encore season. Cameron Wake and Robert Quinn are injured, Mario Williams (four sacks) is lost in Rex Ryan's scheme and Calais Campbell (2.5) isn't putting up his usual numbers. DeMarcus Ware is now an outside linebacker in the Denver Broncos' 3-4.The new kids on the block-and-tackle surely will garner attention, players such as Kahlil Mack (14), Ezekiel Ansah (13.5) and Chandler Jones (10.5). They're terrific players, but Mack and Ansah play on mediocre defenses for non-playoff contenders. Wilkerson and Jones are major contributors on the fifth- and sixth-ranked defenses, respectively. Jones could be the best player on the New England Patriots' defense; Wilkerson is the best on the Jets' unit.

"There's no denying him this year," said Stephen Bowen, the senior member of the Jets' defensive line. "I think he's playing the best football of any defensive lineman, period."

Better than Watt?

"For me, yeah," Bowen said. "J.J. is great in his own right, but for me, the way Mo is playing, yeah, he's playing like the best defensive lineman in the league."

Wilkerson wrecked the Tennessee Titans with his first three-sack game, which Bowen called "one of the best performances I've ever seen." Bowen knows what he's talking about; he's been in the league since 2006.With every sack last weekend, Wilkerson probably had fans thinking, "Pay the man!" His contract saga has been going on for two years, and now we're headed for crunch time. He'll be a free agent after the season, which means he will be slapped with the franchise tag unless the two sides bridge a huge gap and agree to a long-term deal. He admitted the contract situation has provided "some motivation."

Told that fans want him to get paid, Wilkerson said, "Every Jets fan ain't the owner or the people that are managing the Jets." He wasn't joking around, either. He figured he'd have a new contract by now, and he's frustrated.If the Jets are smart, they will pay Wilkerson as a top-tier defensive end. If his peers are smart, they will vote him to the Pro Bowl. The fan voting closed Tuesday. Sure, Wilkerson would like the recognition, but has been stung twice, so, "I'm not going to lose any sleep over it."

In the meantime, his opponents will lose sleep thinking about him.

>    http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57107/a-no-brainer-jets-de-mo-wilkerson-deserves-first-trip-to-pro-bowl

[kelly]

— Muhammad Wilkerson, whose contract the Jets must reckon with this offseason, is having an outstanding year.Wilkerson, a defensive end, ranks fourth in the league with 12 sacks. Seven of those sacks have come in the Jets' last five games, when they've been on a bit of a surge after some struggles getting to the quarterback.

Wilkerson also has 20 quarterback hits, and 38 hurries, totals that both rank second in the NFL among 3-4 defensive ends, according to Pro Football Focus.What does he do well? NFL Network's Mike Mayock put together a two-minute video clip to explain. Wilkerson often manages to wreak havoc even when he's not the guy finishing the play. Note the Reggie White-like rag-doll toss:

To repeat: Wilkerson's contract is something the Jets must reckon with this offseason. 

> http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/mike_mayock_explains_why_muhammad_wilkerson_has_be.html#incart_river_index

[kelly]

— Muhammad Wilkerson, whose contract the Jets must reckon with this offseason, is having an outstanding year.

Wilkerson, a defensive end, ranks fourth in the league with 12 sacks. Seven of those sacks have come in the Jets' last five games, when they've been on a bit of a surge after some struggles getting to the quarterback.Wilkerson also has 20 quarterback hits, and 38 hurries, totals that both rank second in the NFL among 3-4 defensive ends, according to Pro Football Focus.

What does he do well? NFL Network's Mike Mayock put together a two-minute video clip to explain. Wilkerson often manages to wreak havoc even when he's not the guy finishing the play. Note the Reggie White-like rag-doll toss :

Mike Mayock

 

✔ @MikeMayock

I did a 2 min hit on the Jets defensive front - highlighting @mowilkerson - and dominant effort last week vs tenn. !!

>    http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2015/12/mike_mayock_explains_why_muhammad_wilkerson_has_be.html#incart_river_index

To repeat: Wilkerson's contract is something the Jets must reckon with this offseason. 

[kelly]

The Pay-The-Man police is out in full force again with predictable demands that lack foresight.

Mo Wilkerson’s standout season has prompted these armchair brainiacs to implore the Jets to dole out whatever-it-takes cash for the fifth-year defensive lineman. You should have signed him to a blockbuster contract extension before the season, they insist.It’s foolish to suggest that the Jets erred by letting Wilkerson play 2015 on his fifth-year option. He is a very good player playing at a high level in Todd Bowles’ scheme, but let’s not kid ourselves. Wilkerson is not in J.J. Watt’s stratosphere. Teammate Sheldon Richardson has a higher ceiling.

Wilkerson’s terrific 2015 campaign and solid first five seasons warrants a raise. His team-high 12 sacks helped earn him his first Pro Bowl berth Tuesday, but it’s myopic to tell the Jets to back up the Brink’s truck.The Jets should make an effort to secure him at a fair price, but why overpay when they already have a more dynamic and versatile player (looking for his own payday in a couple years) and a relatively cheap first-round rookie on the defensive line?

Wilkerson seemingly had leverage this summer after Richardson’s off-field troubles surfaced, but the dynamic has changed in the past five months. Richardson has stayed on the straight and narrow path. Rookie Leonard Williams has shown promise. The Jets have wrestled back leverage.

It’s unrealistic to believe that the team will sign Wilkerson and Richardson to blockbuster extensions despite the growing salary cap in the coming years. One of the two will have to take significantly less than what he believes he’s worth. Spoiler alert: That’s not happening.

“At the end of the day, it’s a business and guys have to make the best decisions for themselves,” safety Calvin Pryor told the Daily News. “If they want the money, go after the money. If they just love the game and love being a team player, be a team player. But that’s their decision. I’m going to be happy for them regardless.”

The Jets can use Wilkerson’s career year to their advantage. His outstanding play should make both sides happy. GM Mike Maccagnan will almost certainly apply the franchise tag on Wilkerson after the season to maximize his options this offseason.

If the two sides can’t agree to a fair compromise on an extension, the Jets should explore a tag-and-trade scenario. The divide on fair value last spring was so wide that Wilkerson’s camp opted to table in-season discussions. Both parties knew at that time there was little chance that the financial gap would be bridged.

The Jets could use Wilkerson as a valuable bargaining chip to move up in the 2016 draft and land a quarterback, edge pass rusher or other position of need.

Wilkerson gives them flexibility to continue to fortify the roster with young (and affordable) talent. Teams were interested in Wilkerson in the run-up to last year’s draft, but nothing went beyond the exploratory stage. It’s reasonable to think that the Jets would want at least a first-round pick in any trade scenario this time. The tricky part is finding a team willing to pony up a first-rounder and pay Wilkerson the $40-plus million in guaranteed money that he desires.

There is no real doomsday scenario for the Jets. If they simply slap the franchise tag on Wilkerson without dealing him, they buy an additional year to make sure Richardson, who could be facing league discipline stemming from a July arrest on alleged misdemeanor traffic violations in Missouri, stays out of trouble.

Keeping the defensive line trio intact would also give the organization more time to monitor Williams’ development. The most significant downside would be playing Richardson out of position as a stand-up outside linebacker at times.

“Pick your poison,” cornerback Antonio Cromartie said of the defensive line trio. “Who do you want to block? Who you want to double team? So, there’s going to be some 1-on-1 matchups.”

Wilkerson is the first in line for a significant pay raise. Richardson will enter next season on the final year of his rookie deal. Williams obviously isn’t going to get his big payday for a while.

So, it’s Wilkerson’s time. He’s been exceedingly patient, but the Jets shouldn’t overpay given their other assets along the defensive line. Wilkerson can be a powerful bargaining chip for the organization.

He’ll get his money. It might just not be from the team that drafted him.

>      http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/jets/mehta-jets-wilkerson-earned-big-sack-cash-article-1.2474589

[kelly]

What to do with Wilkerson ?

Muhammad Wilkerson has been having a stellar season in a contract-year. Will New York have to break the bank to keep the defensive end in town? Or is a franchise tag in order? NFL rumors

>     http://espn.go.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

Pro Bowl defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson will begin his offseason in the operating room.

The New York Jets' star will have surgery Wednesday to repair a fractured right fibula (lower leg), he announced on Twitter. Neither Wilkerson nor the Jets have released a timetable for his recovery, but experts say it could take anywhere from three to six months before he's 100 percent. It will be closer to the six-month time frame if there's ligament damage in his ankle.

In either case, Wilkerson should be ready for training camp in July. First, the Jets must address his contract situation. The five-year veteran is a pending free agent and would be one of the most coveted players on the open market, but he's not expected to make it there. The Jets almost certainly will use the franchise tag if they can't sign him to a long-term contract.

Wilkerson's season ended in the third quarter of the final game, when his right leg was bent awkwardly in a pile-up. He finished the year with a team-high 12 sacks, a career high.

On Wednesday, Wilkerson tweeted a message to his followers :

Muhammad Wilkerson

 

✔ @mowilkerson

Well I didn't expect the season to end so soon and start the new year with a injury but it's part (cont) http://tl.gd/nlm89q 

10:08 AM - 6 Jan 2016

 

>      http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-jets/post/_/id/57834/jets-de-mo-wilkerson-begins-offseason-with-leg-surgery

[kelly]

-- The New York Jets expect Pro Bowl defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson to miss six months with a surgically repaired broken leg, but they still hope to re-sign to soon-to-be free agent, general manager Mike Maccagnan said Thursday."The simple answer is yes, we'd very much like to have Muhammad back in the organization," Maccagnan said at his season-ending sit-down with reporters.

Wilkerson fractured his right fibula in the season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills, and he underwent surgery a few days later. Until Thursday, the team hadn't revealed a timetable for his recovery.The timing is terrible for Wilkerson, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. But there is virtually no chance of him reaching the open market. Maccagnan strongly suggested that Wilkerson will receive the franchise tag if the Jets can't sign him to a long-term contract before the March 7 deadline.

Maccagnan said the injury will have a minimal impact on Wilkerson's contract situation."He should be ready for camp," he said, mentioning the possibility of the physically-unable-to-perform list for the start of training camp in late July.

The two sides tried to negotiate a long-term contract before the season, but they never got close to an agreement. Wilkerson played for $6.97 million, the amount of his fifth-year option. He recorded a career-high 12 sacks to earn his first Pro Bowl selection.Maccagnan was light-lipped with regard to the team's offseason plans, but he reiterated what coach Todd Bowles said at the end of the season: The Jets want to re-sign quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who started every game and set the team record for touchdown passes (31).

The general manager was less definitive on the future of backup quarterback Geno Smith, who is under contract for 2016. He said he wants to "see how Geno and Bryce [Petty] progress in the offseason and go from there, and that's assuming we're able to re-sign Ryan."Maccagnan also said he'd like to re-sign nose tackle Damon Harrison, another pending free agent, but he hinted that salary-cap constraints could be a factor.

The Jets finished 10-6 under the new regime, headed by Maccagnan and Bowles, but they tarnished the season by blowing a playoff spot with the season-ending loss to the Bills. Maccagnan called it a "disappointing" finish but added: "We're happy with the progress we've made."

>     http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/14570905/new-york-jets-gm-says-muhammad-wilkerson-6-months-leg-surgery