It sounds like Muhammad Wilkerson may have already played his final game in a Jets uniform. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News reports that the coaching staff has “no intention” of playing the defensive end in this weekend’s game against the Chargers. The reporters notes that it’s unclear whether the defender will be deactivated or in uniform, but it sounds like a foregone conclusion that he won’t play.
As Mehta writes, the Jets would be taking a huge financial risk by putting Wilkerson on the field for the final two games of the season. The 28-year-old’s $16.75MM base salary in 2018 is guaranteed for injury only. In other words, by putting Wilkerson on the field and exposing him to a potential injury, the Jets would be risking their ability to get out of the contract during the offseason. However, assuming Wilkerson remains healthy, the Jets can create $11MM in cap space by cutting the lineman.
The writer also notes that many in the Jets organization are simply looking for the entire ordeal to be over, as the team is “fed up” with the former Pro Bowler. In fact, some members of the organization don’t want Wilkerson to practice with the team anymore, while others want him banned from the team facility. Wilkerson compiled more than 35 sacks during his first five seasons in the league, but he’s only added eight sacks since he inked a lucrative five-year, $86MM extension with the team.