Muhammad Wilkerson - Pro Football Rumors

Cole’s Latest: Bucs, Grimes, Dolphins, Rams

July 12th, 2016 at 11:56am CST by Zachary Links

This week, the wife of Buccaneers cornerback Brent Grimes made waves when she slammed the Dolphins in a controversial rant and characterized executive Mike Tannenbaum and owner Stephen Ross as “jew buddies.” Will Miko Grimes’ words affect the two-time Pro Bowler? Officially, the Bucs have no comment on the matter, but, privately, the Glazer family views her comments as anti-semitic, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). With that in mind, it’s fair to wonder if those comments could impact the veteran’s status with the team.

Here’s more from Cole:

It’s looking “less and less likely” that Rams cornerback Trumaine Johnson, Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery, and Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson will get long term deals done by Friday (video link). This offseason, Johnson watched former secondary partner Janoris Jenkins land a mega-deal from the Giants in free agency, securing a $12.5MM annual salary and $28.8MM in guarantees. It doesn’t sound like Los Angeles is willing to match or exceed those numbers, so a deal is probably unlikely to be struck this week.
The Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee has extended its deadline to make a recommendation on a Raiders stadium in Las Vegas for the Raiders until August (video link). Ultimately, Cole hears from sources that the Raiders plan will get the OK by the time that new deadline rolls around. After that, the final decision will be made by the governor of Nevada.

Jets, Muhammad Wilkerson To Talk This Week

July 10th, 2016 at 2:45pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Jets will likely make one “last-ditch” attempt to sign franchise player Muhammad Wilkerson this week, a source close to the defensive end tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (video link). Still, as Garafolo adds, New York and Wilkerson’s camp have been at odds over his value for the better part of two years, so a deal coming together at the eleventh hour is still considered unlikely.

Wilkerson’s negotiations with the Jets have been well-documented over the course of the past several months. After reportedly shopping him around draft time, Gang Green has shown no interest in acquiescing to Wilkerson’ demands, and now that he’s reportedly asking to match — or better — the six-year, $103MM contract inked by Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, talks have seemingly slowed to a crawl. Wilkerson, for his part, has expressed frustration that New York hasn’t shown an interest in retaining him beyond the 2016 season.

In any event, Wilkerson appears likely to play out the season under the franchise tender, which would pay him a fully guaranteed $15.701MM. However, Wilkerson doesn’t seem intent on signing that tag any time soon — as such, he won’t technically be under contract, meaning the Jets can’t fine him if he skips training camp. According to Garafolo, Wilkerson hasn’t made an official decision as of yet on whether he’ll attend July and August practice sessions

Wilkerson, 26, enjoyed his best season as a pro in 2015, racking up a career-high 12 sacks and forcing three fumbles, to go along with 64 tackles. Arguably the best defensive player for the Jets last season, Wilkerson also earned his first Pro Bowl berth.

Although Wilkerson’s performance showed he was worthy of franchise-tag consideration, there were also a handful of factors working against him. He broke his leg during the Jets’ regular-season finale, and while that injury isn’t expected to sideline him at all next season, it complicated his contract situation a little. Additionally, the Jets have two other talented defensive ends on their roster, in Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams, so re-signing Wilkerson could be viewed as something of a luxury.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Latest On Muhammad Wilkerson

July 7th, 2016 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

With only eight days remaining before the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term deals with their respective clubs, defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson doesn’t appear to be any closer to hammering out an extension with the Jets. The two sides are not even currently negotiating, and there is “nothing” happening in talks, a source tells Dom Cosentino of NJ.com.

Last month, Wilkerson voiced his displeasure at his contract dispute, indicating that the Jets haven’t expressed an interest in retaining him beyond 2016. “It’s shocking. It’s frustrating,” Wilkerson told Brian Costello of The New York Post. “Because I feel like I’ve earned it and I deserve it. It would be different if I was just a mediocre player. I feel like each and every week I’m dominating and it’s showing. The stats speak for themselves. Basically, what more do I need to do? You know what I mean?

“Do I feel that they want me back? As of right now, no. I don’t feel like they want me,” the 26-year-old said. “I’m a talented guy. Everybody knows that. I feel like they’re going to get the best they can out of me and just let me go. That’s how I feel. Do I like that feeling? No. I’m a New Jersey guy, born and raised and would love to raise my family here.”

According to Costello’s reports, Wilkerson is looking to match — or top — the six-year, $103MM extension inked by defensive tackle Fletcher Cox in June, but New York, which has an excellent crop of defensive lineman including Sheldon Richardson, Leonard Williams, and free agent addition Steve McLendon, has shown little interest in meeting that demand. The Jets have reportedly shopped Wilkerson, but have yet to find a suitable trade partner.

Wilkerson isn’t expected to sign his franchise tender, which would pay him a guaranteed $15.701MM, any time soon, and could skip part or all of training camp, as Rich Cimini of ESPN.com recently reported. Typically, players who don’t attend camp are subject to fines, but since Wilkerson technically isn’t under contract until he accepts his franchise tag, he wouldn’t be at risk of losing any money.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Wilkerson, Jets, Raiders, Titans

June 25th, 2016 at 10:34am CST by Ben Levine

Peyton Manning will surely be enjoying his first year of retirement, but the future Hall of Famer told reporters that he’ll still be keeping an eye on the 2016 campaign. Specifically, Manning will be watching his brother, his former teams, and a former teammate.

“I kinda look forward to this year being a fan of a lot of teams, people that I have connections with,” Manning told reporters Friday (via Conor Orr of NFL.com). “I’ll be pulling for Brock. Of course, I’m going to be a huge New York Giants fan, but I’ll be pulling for the Broncos and the Colts. I’ll be pulling for Adam Gase and Jim Caldwell, the head coach of the Lions. Coaches and players I’ve played with and competed with. Being a free agent, if you will, this year, to be able to pull for a lot of teams.

“I’ll be pulling hard for Brock (Osweiler), I know he’s going to have a great year.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini reviews some of the largest contracts handed out to defenders in recent years, and he concludes that teams rarely get “that bang for the buck” that they’re seeking. Ultimately, while the Jets may not be concerned about a potential drop in Muhammad Wilkerson‘s production, Cimini believes the team could be looking to avoid that “buyer-beware element.”
With Geno Smith‘s contract expiring at the end of the season, Brian Costello of the New York Post wonders if we’ll see the best out of the Jets quarterback in 2016.
Raiders defender Aldon Smith will be arraigned for violating his probation, reports CSNBayArea.com. The 26-year-old was already on probation in August of 2015, when he was charged with DUI, hit and run and vandalism. According to the website, these charges proved to be in violation of that previous probation.
One of the Titans “big questions” heading into the preseason will be which wideouts will ultimately make the squad, writes Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com. The writer mentions Kendall Wright, Rishard Matthews, Dorial Green-Beckham and Tajae Sharpe as locks to make the roster, and the writer could envision the team keeping an additional three receivers on the final squad.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Harbor, Bills

June 19th, 2016 at 9:59am CST by Rory Parks

Jets GM Mike Maccagnan has frustrated and disappointed fans with his hard-line stance on the Ryan Fitzpatrick and Muhammad Wilkerson contract negotiations, but Rich Cimini of ESPN.com commends Maccagnan for at least being willing to take an unpopular position and hold his ground in a pragmatic way that suggests he has the club’s long-term interests at heart. Cimini adds that Maccagnan’s approach is a refreshing change of pace from that of predecessor Mike Tannenbaum, who often made decisions with an eye towards fan and media approval. Of course, now that Maccagnan has drawn a line in the sand, he cannot back down for fear of losing credibility in the agent community, but he also cannot afford to enter the season without Fitzpatrick and Wilkerson.

As we wait to see if Maccagnan can pull off this delicate balancing act, let’s check out a few more links from the AFC East:

In the same piece, Cimini says he would be surprised if Wilkerson reported to Jets training camp–after all, he’s not under contract, so he cannot be fined for missing camp–but he would also be surprised if the Pro Bowl defensive end missed any regular season games. Perhaps the two sides can work out a deal wherein Wilkerson agrees to play out the 2016 season for the amount of the franchise tender ($15.7MM), and the team agrees to not use the tag on him again in 2017.
In a separate article, Cimini reports that the mother of Jets rookie linebacker Darron Lee, Candice Lee, has quit her job as a reporter and weekend anchor for WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio, and will serve as Darron’s manager. She will devote her time to handling her son’s off-the-field affairs, including endorsements and marketing (of course, there is not yet any money to manage, as Lee is one of four 2016 first-round draft picks who have yet to sign their rookie contracts).
Now that Patriots No. 3 tight end Michael Williams suffered a season-ending ACL tear, free agent acquisition Clay Harbor becomes the favorite to assume that role, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com writes. However, Reiss cautions that even though Harbor received a $400K signing bonus–which is significant for a player for Harbor’s caliber–he will still have to earn his spot on the field (after all, the team handed out a $450K signing bonus to Reggie Wayne last year, and Wayne’s tenure as a Patriot lasted all of two weeks).
Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com takes a look at the best and worst contracts on the Bills, and he concludes that the best contract is Tyrod Taylor‘s fairly modest pact, while the worst is Marcell Dareus‘ mega-deal that he signed last year. Fitzgerald goes into detail on both contracts, and the whole piece is well worth a read.

Todd Bowles On Wilkerson, Contracts, Fitzpatrick

June 18th, 2016 at 11:11am CST by Ben Levine

Things haven’t necessarily gone smoothly for the Jets this offseason. Neither the organization nor incumbent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick are budging in their contract negotiations, and the team may be forced to rely on Geno Smith as their starter.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Wilkerson is still awaiting a long-term deal, and the Pro Bowler recently told The New York Post that he’s “shocked” and “frustrated” by the entire situation.

All the while, coach Todd Bowles has continued to operate as if no turmoil existed. However, the second-year coach addressed some of the Jets’ major offseason storylines earlier this week. Brian Costello of The New York Post passed along some of the notable quotes, which we’ve compiled below…

On his reaction to Wilkerson’s recent comments:

“You can ask any player in the league and they’re going to have the underpaid answer. It’s not a distraction, it’s just part of business. People get frustrated. People vent out. It’s no different than your kids. If you get frustrated, you vent, you vent out and you move on.”

On how he approaches the situation:

“It doesn’t bother me. I was 20-something once too, and I said a lot of things that I said or didn’t want to say. When you’re younger, you say things, but he says things that he means, so obviously he meant them.”

On how the organization plans to handle the Wilkerson issue:

“I’m not going to discuss Mo’s situation here in public. I’ll talk to them and Mo about it. I’m not going to talk to everybody else about it. It’s something that I’ve always done.”

On the Jets’ current quarterback situation and the status of free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick:

“With all due respect, I’m through talking about Fitz. I’m going to worry about the guys I have on the team. I think I’ve expressed and said everything about the quarterback that I’m going to say at this standpoint. Until I get to training camp and see what happens, I’m pretty much done talking about it.”

Extra Points: Monroe, Arians, Jets, Tebow, Pats

June 17th, 2016 at 8:04pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent offensive tackle Eugene Monroe will likely begin visiting prospective employers next week, reports Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). With training camp still a good distance away, Monroe will take his time before signing somewhere, adds Fowler. Since the Ravens released him Wednesday, Monroe has reportedly drawn interest from the Giants, Seahawks and 49ers. In addition to those three clubs, PFR’s Dallas Robinson analyzed five others that could sign the 29-year-old.

Here’s more from around the NFL:

Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians told Andrea Kremer of HBO that he felt “betrayed” when the Steelers let him go after the 2011 season, ending his five-year stint as their offensive coordinator (via Jeremy Cluff of the Arizona Republic). “I had admired Mike Tomlin so much. And I really thought he was a coach who really cared about his people. And for him to do this, well, I felt very disillusioned,” said Arians, who accused Tomlin of reneging on a promise to renew his contract. Arians believes the perception that he was too close with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger – with whom he won a Super Bowl – contributed to his demise in Pittsburgh. The 63-year-old also told Kremer he was “legitimately retired” after his tenure with the Steelers concluded, but Colts head coach Chuck Pagano then hired him as Indianapolis’ O-coordinator. Arians ended up as Indy’s head coach for 12 games, leading the team to a 9-3 record as Pagano battled leukemia. That success paved the way for Arians to land in Arizona, where he has helped the Cardinals to a sterling 34-17 regular-season mark and three straight playoff appearances.
With both quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson at loggerheads with the Jets over money, the team is on track to open training camp July 27 in less-than-ideal fashion, writes Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. Cimini doesn’t expect Fitzpatrick – who’s still a free agent – to re-sign with the club by then, while the Jets and Wilkerson are too far apart on his next contract to hammer out a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players. Wilkerson will lose $900K per week if he holds out into the regular season, notes Cimini, so the likelihood is the Pro Bowler will ultimately sign his $15.7MM franchise tender this summer and play out the year under that.
Free agent Tim Tebow could take another crack at making an NFL roster as a quarterback, he told Larry King (via Mark Fischer of the New York Daily News). “You pursue what’s on your heart, you pursue what you’re passionate about and for me in the game of football, is the position of quarterback,” said the 28-year-old. Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, was one of the Eagles’ final cuts last summer. He hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since 2012, when he was a backup signal-caller with the Jets.
Longtime front office executive Michael Lombardi is leaving the Patriots, reports Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. No reason has been given for Lombardi’s exit, but the former NFL Network analyst could be headed to HBO to join Bill Simmons’ new venture, according to Reiss. Lombardi, whom the Pats hired in 2013 as an assistant to their coaching staff, was previously the general manager in Cleveland.

East Notes: Jets, Gilmore, Giants, Redskins

June 17th, 2016 at 12:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Geno Smith is the Jets current starting quarterback, although the team would clearly prefer Ryan Fitzpatrick under center. Second-round pick Christian Hackenberg is the future at the position. So, where does that leave Bryce Petty?

As Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News writes, the team shouldn’t be giving up on the sophomore signal-caller. While the Jets have considered keeping four quarterbacks for 2016, Petty’s roster spot is no guarantee, and the writer doesn’t believe the organization should give up on the project so quickly.

For what it’s worth, Petty is ready for the challenge.

“You like competition,” Petty said. “So it’s one of those deals like, ‘Okay, they did draft a guy. Now it’s my chance to prove that they took the right guy the year before. … They made a good choice when they drafted me.”

Let’s check out some other notes from the NFL’s East divisions…

The Jets willingness to play hard ball with Fitzpatrick and defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson leads to the perception that the team is “not as committed to winning as they ought to be,” writes Steve Serby of the New York Post. The writer believes the real fear is that this sentiment will leak into the locker room, which could make for a toxic environment.
The Bills don’t intend to pay Stephon Gilmore “Josh Norman cornerback money,” writes Vic Carucci of the Buffalo News. If the defensive back is seeking a contract that nears Norman’s five-year, $75MM, the team will presumably let Gilmore walk following the season. On the flip side, the Bills may be willing to pay the former first-rounder $12.5MM a year.
The Giants are a natural fit for former Ravens offensive lineman Eugene Monroe, writes Jordan Raanan of NJ.com. The team has an obvious hole on the offensive line, and Monroe’s track record proves that the organization shouldn’t be wary of the veteran’s presence.
Redskins general manager Scot McCloughan has only held his position for 17 months, but the executive has already done an admirable job of turning around the organization. As Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports writes, the offseason acquisition of Josh Norman was McCloughan’s biggest move yet, and the GM is confident that the signing will ultimately prove to be worth it.

Jets Notes: Wilkerson, Fitzpatrick, Richardson

June 16th, 2016 at 9:16am CST by Zachary Links

Muhammad Wilkerson hasn’t said much about his contract standoff with the Jets, but he has decided to finally break his silence. Wilkerson stands as one of the league’s best defensive tackles but, for some reason, his own team hasn’t expressed a real interest in keeping him beyond 2016.

“It’s shocking. It’s frustrating,” Wilkerson told Brian Costello of The New York Post. “Because I feel like I’ve earned it and I deserve it. It would be different if I was just a mediocre player. I feel like each and every week I’m dominating and it’s showing. The stats speak for themselves. Basically, what more do I need to do? You know what I mean?”

This week, the Eagles reached agreement on a six-year, $103MM extension with star defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. Wilkerson, naturally, took notice, and is now seeking a deal that is equal “or better.” Publicly, Jets coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan have both said that they want to keep Wilkerson for the long haul, but Wilkerson doesn’t believe that the team is prepared to give him a similar multi-year deal.

“Do I feel that they want me back? As of right now, no. I don’t feel like they want me,” the 26-year-old said. “I’m a talented guy. Everybody knows that. I feel like they’re going to get the best they can out of me and just let me go. That’s how I feel. Do I like that feeling? No. I’m a New Jersey guy, born and raised and would love to raise my family here.”

Here’s more on the Jets:

The Jets are monitoring the quarterback market and it sounds as though they will add a veteran if Ryan Fitzpatrick doesn’t return, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com writes. “Yeah, we’ll entertain that,” coach Todd Bowles said. “We’ve talked about that.” As shown on PFR’s running list of free agents, the biggest names after Fitzpatrick are guys like Michael Vick (who still wants to play), Charlie Whitehurst, Josh Freeman, Jimmy Clausen, and Tarvaris Jackson. A couple of interesting arms could become available down the line, however, like Rams’ QB Nick Foles and Browns signal caller Josh McCown.
Fellow standout defensive linemen Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams make Wilkerson expendable, Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News opines. The Jets selected Williams with the No. 6 pick in last year’s draft as insurance for Wilkerson and they have seen great development out of him already. Richardson, meanwhile, has matured a great deal, according to defensive line coach Pepper Johnson.
Matt Forte says that he signed with the Jets in part because of receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Fitz, Wilkerson, Cousins, Cowboys

June 15th, 2016 at 5:16pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Jets’ Todd Bowles indicated Tuesday that there’s no deadline to sign free agent quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the head coach backtracked on that today, reports Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “If it’s Week 4 in training camp and he’s not here, you know who your starter is going to be Week 1,” Bowles said, implying that Geno Smith would be the Jets’ No. 1 signal-caller in such an extreme scenario. “You have time until you don’t have time,” continued Bowles, who added that the Jets will consider signing a veteran to compete for a backup role with rookie Christian Hackenberg and second-year man Bryce Petty if Gang Green doesn’t re-up Fitzpatrick.

More from the NFL’s two East divisions:

Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins is content to play this season under the $19.95MM franchise tag if he and the club don’t reach a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. One reason the 27-year-old is fine with operating under the tag is because he knows his price will continue rising if the Redskins franchise him again next offseason, relays Florio. Indeed, it would cost Washington $23.94MM to tag Cousins in 2017 and $34.47MM to do the same in 2018.
Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson – who skipped OTAs and is sitting out minicamp (and could hold out of training camp) – will not settle for less than the $103MM extension the Eagles gave Fletcher Cox on his next deal, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. Although Wilkerson has a star-level track record, the Jets don’t regard the two-time second-team All-Pro highly enough to pay him Cox-type of money and already have a pair of other stud D-linemen in Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams. Thus, Wilkerson is likely to eventually sign his $15.7MM franchise tag, play 2016 under that and then bolt in free agency, per Costello.
The Cowboys have named Lionel Vital their director of college scouting, tweets Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. Dallas hired Vital as a senior personnel executive in March, but the team has now clarified his role. Vital was previously the personnel director for the Falcons, who parted ways with him in January.
After a mini-holdout, standout Dolphins safety Reshad Jones reported to minicamp earlier today.