HEADLINES

Muhammad Wilkerson

East Rumors: Jets, Wilkerson, Austin, Pats

May 14th, 2014 at 6:05pm CST by Zachary Links

Former Jets cornerback (and scout) Aaron Glenn is heading to the Browns to serve as their assistant defensive backs coach, according to Seth Walder of the New York Daily News. In 2013, Glenn became a college scout for the Jets and was the area scout for second-round selection tight end Jace Amaro.

  • Muhammad Wilkerson still wants a new deal but he’s in no rush for it, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. “I would like a deal, but when it happens, it happens,” the Jets‘ defensive lineman said. “I’m not saying I want it to be before the regular season. When it happens, it happens. I’m going to come in and work hard and take every day like I always do.”
  • Cowboys coach Jason Garrett says that wide receiver Miles Austin is “absolutely” a possibility to come back to the team, writes Rowan Kavner of DallasCowboys.com. However, the fifth-round selection of Devin Street may make the Cowboys comfortable with what they’ve got. Dallas designated Austin as a post-June 1 cut to free up $5.5MM on the salary cap in 2014. Austin was a 1,000-yard receiver twice, catching 81 passes for 1,320 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2009 and 69 passes for 1,041 yards and seven touchdowns 2010, but he has been marred by hamstring issues ever since.
  • Jimmy Garoppolo may eventually have the difficult task of replacing Tom Brady in New England, but he says he hasn’t given that much thought, writes Vito Stellino of the Florida Times-Union. Belichick, meanwhile, has thought about it a great deal and says that the pick made sense given Brady’s age and Ryan Mallett‘s impending free agency.

Jets Pick Up Mo Wilkerson’s 2015 Option

April 18th, 2014 at 8:05am CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have officially exercised their fifth-year option on Muhammad Wilkerson for the 2015 season, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. We heard last night when word of several other option pickups broke that Wilkerson’s was believed to be one of them, and now Mehta has confirmed as much.

Wilkerson, 24, recorded 64 tackles and 10.5 sacks in 2013 for the Jets, and played more defensive snaps (1,067) than any other 3-4 defensive end, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The heavy workload didn’t seem to affect Wilkerson’s production — he ranked as the eighth-best player at his position out of 45 qualified 3-4 defensive ends, according to PFF’s grades, despite some penalty issues.

The Jets and Wilkerson are both open to the idea of negotiating a longer-term deal, though a club source told Mehta last month that while talks could be revisited later this summer, the two sides are more likely to reach an agreement after the 2014 season. For now, Wilkerson’s rookie contract will be extended by one year. He’ll earn $1.2MM in 2014 before seeing his salary bumped up to $6.969MM in 2015. That 2015 salary is currently guaranteed for injury only, though it will become fully guaranteed on the first day of the ’15 league year.

Texans Exercise Fifth-Year Option On J.J. Watt

April 17th, 2014 at 7:19pm CST by Zachary Links

The Texans have officially exercised the 5th-year option on defensive end J.J. Watt for 2015, a source tells Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deadline to do so was on May 3rd, but Houston decided not to wait.

Yates adds that the Ravens have done the same with cornerback Jimmy Smith and ditto for the Chargers and defensive lineman Corey Liuget. The Jets are believed to have done the same for defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson.

The 6’6″ Watt is coming off of a season in which he registered 65 tackles, 10.5 sacks, seven pass deflections, and four forced fumbles. The season prior to that was the 25-year-old’s monster breakout season – he racked up 69 tackles, 20.5 sacks, 16 pass deflections, and four forced fumbles en route to his first Pro Bowl. Watt has also been tremendously durable over the course of his three year career, playing in all 16 games in each campaign.

We heard in late March that the Ravens would pick up Smith’s fifth-year option, but the Ravens were hoping to work out a long-term deal with him. Smith will earn $6.898MM in 2015, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). His salary is guaranteed only for injury at present. It will become fully guaranteed for skill if he’s on the roster for the first day of the 2015 league year.

Liuget, 24, is coming off of his second consecutive productive season for San Diego, racking up 12.5 sacks between 2012 and ’13. Wilkerson and the Jets have both been open about their desire to work out a new long-term pact but in the interim, the Temple product will have to settle for a $6.97MM salary in 2014.

AFC East Rumors: Pats, Revis, Jets, Wilkerson

April 16th, 2014 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Things have been quiet out of Florham Park, New Jersey as of late but today, the Jets brought some serious sizzle to their offseason when they agreed to sign Chris Johnson to a two-year deal. Here’s the latest on Gang Green and more from the AFC East…

  • Because the Patriots have a need at tight end, Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com sizes up Iowa’s C.J. Fiedorowicz as a possibility for New England. While the 6’7″, 265-pound athlete isn’t as fast or athletic as Rob Gronkowski, he appears to be a replica of him in other ways. Gronk is one of the best at his position when he’s on the field, but he has proven to be brittle as of late.
  • Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald (via Twitter) hears nothing but great things about Darrelle Revis‘ intensity in practice this offseason. The Patriots landed the shutdown corner on a relatively low-risk deal this offseason.
  • LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry will take a pre-draft visit with the Jets on Monday, a source tells Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). The Panthers auditioned Landry and Tigers teammate Odell Beckham yesterday. The Jets are in obvious need of a playmaker on offense.
  • The fifth-year option salary for Muhammad Wilkerson is projected at about $6.97MM, which is higher than expected but still team-friendly for the Jets, tweets Cimini. It was previously believed that the Temple product’s 2015 salary would be closer to $6MM.
  • The Jets are keeping tabs on Missouri defensive end/outside linebacker Michael Sam, Cimini tweets. New York has spoken to him several times in recent months and while he’s on the club’s radar, Cimini characterizes the talks as “due diligence.”

Extra Points: Wilkerson, Jaguars, Mosley

April 10th, 2014 at 9:38pm CST by Zachary Links

First-round picks from the 2011 draft class became eligible for contract extensions this offseason, and the Jets and Muhammad Wilkerson seemed very intent on getting one signed. So far, there hasn’t been any indication of a deal on the horizon, but the defensive tackle still says he has no intention of holding out if he doesn’t get a long-term deal, tweets Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post. Wilkerson went on to call GM John Idzik “a great GM and a man with a plan,” (link). More from around the NFL..

  • Indiana wide receiver Cody Latimer has a pre-draft visit with the Jaguars, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter).
  • Former Alabama linebacker C.J. Mosley will visit the Titans early next week, according to Audra Martin of WKRN (Twitter link).
  • The Falcons worked out Murray State wide receiver Walter Powell today, a league source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (on Twitter). Meanwhile, Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (on Twitter) adds that Powell has a private workout scheduled with the Jets later this month. So far, there’s nothing brewing between Powell and the Rams, Thomas says.
  • Nate Ulrich of the Akron-Beacon Journal weighs the pros and cons of the Browns matching the Jaguars’ offer to center Alex Mack. Ultimately, he concludes that the good would outweigh the bad for Cleveland.
  • As exciting as Johnny Manziel is, Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle is pretty confident that the Raiders will pass on him at No. 5. General Manager Reggie McKenzie has said that he strictly goes for the best talent available and none of the signal callers are top ten talents, in Tafur’s view. He opines that there are five players available that can make an impact right away – Jadeveon Clowney, Sammy Watkins, Khalil Mack, Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews – and Oakland can get one of them if they don’t trade down.
  • Oklahoma cornerback Aaron Colvin told SiriusXM NFL Radio (on Twitter) that in addition to his visit with the Eagles, he has two more coming up with the Saints and 49ers.

Jets Plan To Exercise Option On Wilkerson

March 7th, 2014 at 8:31am CST by Luke Adams

2011’s first-round picks are eligible for contract extensions for the first time this offseason, but between now and May 3, teams will also have the opportunity to simply exercise a fifth-year option on those players for the 2015 season. That’s exactly what the Jets intend to do with defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson, who currently has one year remaining on his rookie deal, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.

The Jets and Wilkerson have engaged in recent discussions about a long-term deal, but no agreement is on the horizon, a team source tells Mehta. With the team focusing almost exclusively on free agency and the draft over the next couple months, it’s unlikely that the two sides revisit a multiyear extension more seriously until the summer. Even then, Mehta’s source admits a long-term deal before the 2014 season is unlikely unless Wilkerson accepts a team-friendly contract. The 24-year-old may have unwittingly hurt his leverage last month when he suggested that he wouldn’t hold out if he didn’t receive a new contract this year.

Although the value of that 2015 option for Wilkerson has yet to be established, it figures to be fairly modest, perhaps in the neighborhood of $6MM. Given the impact the former 30th overall pick has had on the Jets’ defense, that will be a bargain for the team. Last season, Wilkerson recorded 10.5 sacks, forced a pair of fumbles, and even grabbed an interception. The Temple product placed eighth in Pro Football Focus’ rankings of 3-4 defensive linemen (subscription required), and played more snaps (1,067) than any of his competition.

The fifth-year option for 2011 picks becomes guaranteed for injury when it’s exercised, so the Jets will likely wait until closer to the May 3 deadline before picking it up on Wilkerson.

AFC Notes: Wilkerson, Jets, Raiders

February 8th, 2014 at 6:13pm CST by Peter Sowards

After a dominant performance in 2013 in which he was arguably the team’s best overall player, Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson definitively stated that he will not hold out for a pay raise entering the final year of his four-year rookie contract. “It will be taken care of, definitely,” Wilkerson told Kristian Dyer of Metro New York. “But all that holdout and all that other talk that people were saying and everything – I never said anything like that. I’m not going to hold out. It’s not something I want; it’s not something I’m thinking about. I’m going to show up like everybody else and do what I’m told.” Rumors had been swirling that Wilkerson wanted a pay raise and would be “a possible holdout candidate,” reported Dyer, but the first-time All-Pro argued otherwise.

In a Raiders Twitter mailbag, ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez answered a number of fan questions relating to the team’s upcoming strategies for the draft and free agency:

  • Gutierrez said the Raiders should target a pass rusher, not a quarterback, with the No. 5 overall selection of the 2014 NFL Draft. In a division with Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers and Alex Smith, and the possibility of South Carolina’s Jadeveon Clowney falling into their laps, the Raiders would be wise to target an instant playmaker on defense.
  • Jared Veldheer says he wants a long-term deal and that receiving the team’s franchise would be like a slap in the face. Gutierrez’s feeling is that Veldheer will be a Raider next year and that both sides will agree on a deal that keeps him in Oakland for the foreseeable future.
  • In order, Gutierrez lists Veldheer, Lamarr Houston, Rashad Jennings, Tracy Porter and Charles Woodson as the essential free agents to re-sign.
  • Referring back to his chats with GM Reggie McKenzie, Gutierrez opines that the team will rely “more heavily on free agency to get front-line starters” as opposed to hoping a rookie draft pick will fill the void. As the team with the most cap room entering the 2014 offseason, the Raiders are in prime position to add experienced talent to their roster.

AFC Notes: Wilkerson, Incognito, Colts

February 5th, 2014 at 8:20pm CST by Rob DiRe

Muhammad Wilkerson was arguably the best player on the Jets last season, and even that may not truly be very “arguable.” In his third year, the defensive end led the team in sacks, and positioned himself for a big contract extension. However, extension talks may have stalled, meaning it could begin to resemble the Darrelle Revis situation from a few years ago, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post.

The Jets hold all the leverage in negotiations, because they hold Wilkerson’s rights over the next two seasons for a bargain price of $7.2MM, and if they franchise tag him after next season, they’ll still have him for the cheap price of about $19MM depending on the tag number. At the same time, Costello notes that the Jets’ goal is to get a long-term contract in place. Here are some other free agency notes from the AFC:

  • While the Richie Incognito controversy last season will most likely preclude him from signing with the Dolphins, the free agent guard should still have suitors this offseason. One team that could use his services is the Raiders, writes Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. The Raiders’ interior offensive line was unimpressive last season, struggling to find consistency at the guard positions. Raider offensive coordinator Greg Olsen coached Incognito in St. Louis in 2006-07, and stood up for the troubled lineman during the season when the allegations of bullying first came out.
  • The Colts‘ number one priority this offseason should be re-signing their own free agents, according to Mike Wells of ESPN.com. He writes that Vontae Davis, Pat McAfee, and Antoine Bethea should be the first three players taken care of, before the team starts thinking about bringing in new pieces.
  • Dane Fletcher is not one of the most notable free agents the Patriots have to worry about, and if the linebacker is looking for a bigger role, then he is better off leaving New England, writes Tom E. Curran of CSNNE.com. While the Patriots don’t necessarily need him (he only played 209 snaps on defense in 2013), even with the assumed departure of Brandon Spikes, Curran believes the Patriots would welcome him back.

AFC East Notes: Talib, Edelman, Wilkerson

February 2nd, 2014 at 1:39pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Patriots want cornerback Aqib Talib to return, but it’s a matter of price tag, writes Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Talib is a highly effective player when healthy, but injury concerns figure to drive his contract demands down. Reiss projects a three-to-four-year deal at around $8MM annually, with guarantees in the neighborhood of $12-14MM, figures similar to those in Antonio Cromartie‘s contract signed before the 2011 season. Like last year, it stands to be a buyer’s market in terms of cornerbacks, with other options like Brent Grimes, Alterraun Verner, and Vontae Davis available. Reiss ultimately believes Talib will re-sign with the Patriots.

Other notes from the AFC East:

  • Within the same post, Reiss indicates that Julian Edelman could approach the salary range of Danny Amendola, who was guaranteed $10MM over five years. While the Patriots could likely afford this, Reiss sees Edelman moving on, and identifies the Texans, with former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien now in charge, as a top suitor.
  • The Patriots could stand to improve with regards to signing veteran free agents. Last season, they paid about $14MM to Amendola, Adrian Wilson, Tommy Kelly, and Leon Washington, and got little to no return.
  • Some in the industry believe Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson should hold out during training camp in an attempt to get a new contract, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Wilkerson is due only a maximum of $7.2MM over the next two seasons, assuming the Jets exercise his 2015 option.
  • Cimini urges the Jets to get involved in any Larry Fitzgerald trade discussions, although he notes that Fitzgerald’s $18MM 2014 cap hit could be troublesome.

East Rumors: Wilkerson, Meriweather, Dolphins

January 29th, 2014 at 6:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest from the AFC and NFC East..

  • Muhammad Wilkerson says he’s not concerned about his contract situation with the Jets, writes Dan Martin of the New York Post. Because of the CBA, teams can exercise an option for a fifth year on rookie contracts for players taken in the first round of the 2011 draft. It’s a team-friendly clause, and while the defensive end can renegotiate his deal, he says he has “no clue” what is going on with his contract. Meanwhile, Wilkerson is glad to have coach Rex Ryan back for another season.
  • Brandon Meriweather‘s contract with the Redskins voids five days after the Super Bowl, writes Mark Maske of the Washington Post. The two sides re-worked his contract last year but it appears that they didn’t add an option to potentially keep him in 2014. Meriweather is coming off of a two-year, $6MM pact and could still return to Washington.
  • James Walker of ESPN.com details his impressions of Dolphins GM Dennis Hickey from his introductory press conference. Meanwhile, USA Today’s Brent Sobleski runs down the draft impact that the hiring will have on Miami.