Muhammad Wilkerson - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Brown, Wilkerson, Raiders

May 19th, 2015 at 9:41pm CST by Zachary Links

The NFL and NFLPA recently reached a settlement that capped the number of unsigned veterans who can participate in tryouts at rookie minicamp to five players, sources tell Alex Marvez of FOX Sports. The financial compensation for participating veterans was one of the NFLPA’s concerns, and that apparently outweighed the upside of deals coming together for players like Josh Morgan, who signed with the Saints after an impressive tryout during rookie minicamp. Here’s more from around the NFL..

The Patriots had free agent cornerback Tarell Brown in for a visit today, a team source tells Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). This is the second time that the Pats have hosted Brown for a visit.
Jets owner Woody Johnson didn’t make it sound like a new deal for Muhammad Wilkerson is coming anytime soon, as Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post writes. “We’re continuing to have dialogue sporadically, but it’s got to be something that works for both sides,” Johnson said.
The Raiders are open to selling a minority stake in the team to a Bay Area company if that company can help fill the $400MM stadium financing gap that currently exists, Peter Schrager of FOX Sports tweets.
Washington proposed that roster cuts should go from a 90-man roster to a 53-man roster, but that idea was voted down, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
With 49ers defensive lineman Justin Smith retiring in May, he has more than $2.1MM in unearned signing bonus money, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes. The 49ers could try and recoup that money, but they might feel indebted to Smith after he restructured his deal in 2013. Meanwhile, the former defensive end known as Cowboy says he checked out 49ers rookie minicamp and he might want to “dip my toe into coaching” after a couple years, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com tweets.
Saints receivers coach John Morton probably had some input in the signing of wide receiver Lance Lewis, who spent last year under Morton on the 49ers’ practice squad, Evan Woodbery of The Times Picayune tweets. Earlier today, New Orleans signed Lewis and dropped kicker Shayne Graham.
The release of Graham leaves the Saints on the hook for his $10K signing bonus, Woodbery notes (on Twitter). The team’s dead money total has now risen a tad, from $21.67MM to $21.68MM.

La Canfora’s Latest: Bennett, Eagles, Titans

May 6th, 2015 at 2:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Michael Bennett and his agent have “made it clear” he’d rather not return to the Seahawks, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Of course, as La Canfora points out, the Seahawks typically don’t budge when it comes to trades or contract situation, so while the two sides may be able to work something out that makes sense for all parties, Bennett may not go anywhere or sign a new contract in the next few months.

Bennett and various members of the Seahawks organization have repeatedly denied a rumor that he wants to be traded. However, that initial report came from another reporter, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, so the fact that La Canfora has heard similar rumblings suggests there may be something to it. It wouldn’t be surprising if, at the very least, Bennett wants to rework his deal, considering he’s one of the league’s best pass rushers and is earning a relatively modest $7MM per year.

Here are a few more tidbits from La Canfora’s piece on potential trade candidates:

Whether it’s this week or the week before the season begins, the Eagles will trade Evan Mathis at some point, in La Canfora’s opinion. The CBSSports.com scribe adds that Chip Kelly was trying to move Mychal Kendricks for a second-round pick in the week leading up to the draft. La Canfora predicts that Philadelphia will eventually get a late-round pick for Mathis and a fourth-rounder for Kendricks.
While the Titans say they don’t plan to move Zach Mettenberger after drafting Marcus Mariota, the second-year QB would “relish a change of scenery,” per La Canfora.
La Canfora views the Browns as the most logical potential suitor for Muhammad Wilkerson, suggesting that while the Jets won’t shop the standout defensive lineman, they should at least be willing to listen. The Bears, Saints, and Raiders would all be reasonable fits as well, according to La Canfora, who thinks a team should offer a first- and third-round pick for Wilkerson.
A veteran backup like Jason Campbell or Tarvaris Jackson would be a better match for Jameis Winston and the Buccaneers than Mike Glennon, who continues to be a trade candidate, writes La Canfora.

AFC Notes: Wilkerson, Geno, Collins, Browns

May 2nd, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With newly drafted defensive lineman Leonard Williams in the fold, Muhammad Wilkerson‘s time with the Jets could be running out, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Despite being one of the Jets’ best players, Wilkerson is without a contract beyond next season and, per Mehta, the team isn’t eager to give him a new deal. Mehta argues that it doesn’t make financial sense to dole out big bucks to Wilkerson, especially with fellow lineman Sheldon Richardson under team control through 2017 and cornerback Darrelle Revis signed to a long-term mega-deal.

While the Jets might not be able to go forward with all three as anchors of their defense, Mehta believes they could slap the franchise tag on Wilkerson next offseason and trade him for a first-round pick. For now, rookie Jets coach Todd Bowles will enjoy having Wilkerson as a key cog in what should be a dominant D-line, but it doesn’t seem as if the four-year veteran will be a part of it beyond the 2015 campaign.

Here’s more on the Jets and some of their fellow AFC teams:

Despite adding Ryan Fitzpatrick via trade and Bryce Petty via the draft, the Jets will enter training camp with Geno Smith atop the quarterback depth chart, Fitzpatrick as his main backup, and Petty and Matt Simms fighting for third-string duties, Bowles tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link).
The Chargers did “as much as work as [they] could” in researching La’el Collins, but they simply couldn’t take the risk due to lack of information, general manager Tom Telesco tells Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union Tribune (via Twitter). Broncos GM John Elway said the same thing (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today), and I imagine nearly every team’s front office felt the same way.
The Browns didn’t end up drafting a quarterback, but GM Ray Farmer says that wasn’t by design. Farmer adds that the club’s grades simply didn’t match up with availability (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal).

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

Draft Rumors: Gregory, AP, Wilkerson

May 1st, 2015 at 5:43pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Nebraska defensive end Randy Gregory is regarded as one of the most talented players in this year’s NFL draft, but he remains available after the completion of the first round because of off-field issues. Gregory voiced his disappointment about his current undrafted status to Yahoo! Sports’ Rand Getlin on Friday (via Twitter).

“I feel like I let my family and the people who believe in me down, and I’m sorry for that,” said Gregory. “But I’m going to use this as fuel. The franchise that drafts me won’t have to worry about me off the field, but the teams that didn’t select me will have to worry about me on the field.”

Gregory went on to state that he is “the best defensive player in the draft.”

Here’s more as the second round of the draft draws nearer:

If the Jets are going to trade defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, it could take multiple first-round picks to land him, reports Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. However, La Canfora notes that, after having drafted Leonard Williams with their first-round selection, the Jets would have a loaded defensive line even without Wilkerson. That may lead to a reduction in their asking price, and the likes of the Browns and Raiders could be possible destinations should the Jets move Wilkerson.
Friday could be the last real chance for the Vikings to trade Adrian Peterson, per LaCanfora. Peterson might fetch the Vikings a second-round pick if he’s willing to take a pay cut to play elsewhere.
Florida State defensive tackle Eddie Goldman won’t stay on the board for long tonight, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. Rapoport notes that Goldman is viewed as a first-round talent by many teams.
Indiana’s Tevin Coleman could be the first running back taken tonight, according to Rapoport (Twitter link). A team tried to trade up for Coleman last night, Rapoport notes.
The first half of the second round could see several running backs and offensive lineman selected, according to La Canfora. Conversely, La Canfora doesn’t expect any tight ends to go for a while, noting that South Carolina’s Rory Anderson or Rutgers’ Tyler Kroft could be the first one taken.
La Canfora writes that Baylor’s Bryce Petty will likely be the first quarterback drafted Friday. The Bills, Rams, Saints and Chargers are among the teams that have done their homework on Petty.

Latest On Muhammad Wilkerson

April 30th, 2015 at 7:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets just selected USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams, meaning their D-line is now crowded. What does this mean for Muhammad Wilkerson, who is still without a new contract? The latest…

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan says his club is not actively shopping Wilkerson, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Of course, that doesn’t mean New York isn’t listening to offers.
Multiple teams called the Jets today regarding Wilkerson and were “shut down,” according to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link).
The Browns and Raiders are among the teams with interest in Wilkerson, and more could get involved, tweets Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link) believes it would take multiple first-round picks to acquire Wilkerson.
A league source tells Rich Cimini of ESPN.com (Twitter link) that it wouldn’t be surprising for the Jets to shop Wilkerson, adding that there was interest before the draft.

Jets Rumors: Wilkerson, Washington, Draft

April 30th, 2015 at 10:53am CST by Zachary Links

The draft isn’t in New York anymore, but that won’t stop some ambitious Jets fans from booing their team’s first round pick, as Stu Woo of The Wall Street Journal writes. “The booing is more than just about this year’s draft,” one fan said. “It’ll never stop unless there’s a Super Bowl.” The latest on the Jets..

The Jets are high on Leonard Williams, Dante Fowler Jr., and Amari Cooper. They’ll likely be gone by No. 6, however, and Rich Cimini of ESPN.com hears from sources that there are now four projected targets for the Jets at No. 6: wide receiver Kevin White, outside linebacker Bud Dupree, offensive lineman Brandon Scherff, and running back Todd Gurley (though he adds that Gurley is a longshot).
Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson has come up in discussion with at least one other team picking in the top five, but it’s still doubtful that he’ll be traded at this point, Manish Mehta of the Daily News tweets.
A Jets source told Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) that he was hearing buzz of Washington possibly moving down. The Jets are very interested in how that plays out since it will impact them at No. 6.
The source who spoke with Anderson (link) also didn’t didn’t rule out the possibility of moving out of No. 6 and he said that additional positions may be considered if they do. Many have said that the Jets could drop back in the draft though if they stay put, a pass rusher seems like a good possibility.

Muhammad Wilkerson Drawing Trade Interest

April 28th, 2015 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

With the draft right around the corner, multiple teams have approached the Jets about a possible trade for defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Schefter, at least two teams, and possibly more, have contacted the Jets to inquire about Wilkerson.

Wilkerson, 25, has been one of the NFL’s best interior linemen since being selected 30th overall by the Jets in the 2011 draft. Over the last two seasons, he had accumulated 16.5 sacks, and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him and teammate Sheldon Richardson as the best run-stoppers among 3-4 defensive ends in 2014.

Having played out the first four years of his rookie contract, Wilkerson is heading into his fifth-year option season, and will earn $6.969MM in 2015 if he isn’t extended. The Jets would like to work out a contract extension, and they should have plenty of cap room to make it happen, so I’d be surprised if the club seriously discussed a trade.

Still, with no bonus money remaining on his contract, the Jets wouldn’t take on any dead money if they moved Wilkerson this year. If the two sides aren’t close to an agreement on a extension, and a rival team willing to meet the defensive lineman’s contract demands was also willing to offer a significant trade package to New York, GM Mike Maccagnan would likely at least consider the possibility.

Jets GM Talks Draft, Wilkerson, RFAs

April 24th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan will be running his first draft this year after arriving in New York from Houston this offseason, and it’ll be an important one for the franchise, which holds the sixth overall pick next Thursday. Speaking to reporters today, Maccagnan addressed a number of topics related to the upcoming draft and the Jets’ general plans. Here are a few highlights, with all links going to the Twitter accounts of beat writers Rich Cimini (ESPN.com) and Manish Mehta (New York Daily News):

Maccagnan would prefer to add more picks, which increases the team’s chances of finding good players, rather than to give up picks to move up for someone. The Jets will still reach out to every team picking ahead of them to gauge the market value of those selections, but don’t necessarily expect to trade up.
Asked about Muhammad Wilkerson‘s absence from the club’s offseason program, Maccagnan downplayed the defensive lineman’s absence, noting that the workouts were voluntary and adding, “I’m sure Mo is doing a good job wherever he’s working out.” For now, the club is too focused on the draft to deal with Wilkerson’s contract situation, but the GM says that will happen “at some point in time going forward.”
The Jets expect restricted free agents Damon Harrison and Jaiquawn Jarrett to sign their tenders. Today is the last day RFAs can sign offer sheets with rival teams, and neither player appears poised to do so.
Maccagnan and the Jets “absolutely” feel comfortable with the amount of homework they’ve done on Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, whom they saw during a visit, a private workout, and his pro day.
Maccagnan, point to the Steelers as an example, said he’d like to create a “pipeline” of 3-4 outside linebackers, since those players take some time to develop.
The Jets evaluated just under 1,400 prospects, and ended up with just under 300 on their draft board, per Maccagnan.
According to Maccagnan, his philosophy involves using free agency to fill needs (such as cornerback), and using the draft to select the best players available.

Muhammad Wilkerson No Shows Jets Camp

April 6th, 2015 at 10:57am CST by Zachary Links

10:57am: Wilkerson isn’t expected to participate in any portion of Phase One of the Jets’ voluntary offseason program, sources tell Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter links). The first phase of the program will run for the next two weeks. His participation in Phase 2 and the voluntary veteran minicamp at the end of the month is still TBD.

8:06am: For months now, Muhammad Wilkerson said that he was staying patient through contract talks with the Jets. That could all be changing, however, as Wilkerson did not report to camp for the start of the team’s offseason work, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. La Canfora adds that the defensive tackle might not be around for a while.

As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News notes, players aren’t required to show up for “Phase One” of the Jets’ program, so Wilkerson won’t suffer any repercussions. However, the decision not to join Gang Green for their strength/conditioning and classroom work demonstrates his unhappiness over his contractual situation.

Wilkerson is scheduled to earn $6.97MM in 2015 after having his fifth-year team option last year. However, he is looking for a long-term deal at a time where the market is quite favorable for standout defensive linemen. Both J.J. Watt and Robert Quinn have put pen to paper on monster contracts, though Wilkerson’s deal will obviously look more like the latter rather than the former.

After watching the Jets sign free agents Darrelle Revis ($39MM guaranteed) and Antonio Cromartie while re-signing linebacker David Harris ($15MM guaranteed) and trading for wide receiver Brandon Marshall (while adding to his deal), Wilkerson probably grew a bit impatient on his own deal. According to Mehta, GM Mike Maccagnan has hinted that the team would address Wilkerson’s situation after the draft. Right now, it sounds like the 25-year-old doesn’t want to wait that long.

The Jets are one of seven teams with a new head coach, which is why they can begin practicing today. Other teams are allowed to begin on April 20th.

East Notes: Jets, Washington, Thomas, Fins

April 2nd, 2015 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on a conference call today with season ticket holders, Jets GM Mike Maccagnan and head coach Todd Bowles offered up a few interesting tidbits, as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com noted on Twitter. The GM indicated that he likes the No. 6 spot in the draft because it gives the team plenty of flexibility to trade up or down. Addressing the draft, Maccagnan also hinted that the Jets wouldn’t mind picking an offensive lineman at some point, while Bowles praised the depth of the rookie running back class — although the team likes Chris Ivory and Bilal Powell, adding one more back could be a priority.

Here’s more on the Jets, via Cimini, along with a few other items from out of the NFL’s two East divisions:

Maccagnan also suggested he expects to address Muhammad Wilkerson‘s contract this offseason, with the expectation that the star defensive lineman will remain a Jet for the long term. Meanwhile, Bowles said he’d like to have another quarterback competing with Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Matt Simms.
It would be surprising if Washington doesn’t add at least one more running back to its roster through free agency or the draft, writes John Keim of ESPN.com. According to Keim, the team has expressed interest in veteran free agent Pierre Thomas, but will likely wait to see how the draft plays out before moving any further with the former Saint.
As the Dolphins consider adding receiving depth, they aren’t just eyeing draft prospects — they’re also taking a look at a pair of players who went undrafted in recent years. According to Aaron Wilson of the National Post, the club is working out former Boise State wideout Geraldo Boldewijn and trying out former Raiders receiver Thomas Mayo. Boldewijn spent camp with the Falcons last year, while Mayo was a participant in last month’s veterans combine.
Wilson also tweets that Florida State wideout Christian Green is working out privately for the Eagles today in Tallahassee.