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New York Jets: Is Muhammad Wilkerson stuck for 2018?

By Michael Pallas

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 29: Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson #96 of the New York Jets celebrates a tackle against running back Tevin Coleman #26 (not pictured) of the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on October 29, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 29: Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson #96 of the New York Jets celebrates a tackle against running back Tevin Coleman #26 (not pictured) of the Atlanta Falcons during the third quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium on October 29, 2017 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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Fans want the New York Jets to rid themselves of Muhammad Wilkerson after the completion of the 2017 season. That’s not likely.

Muhammad Wilkerson is going to get paid a hefty sum in 2018. The New York Jets will have to pay him $20 million in 2018, and it becomes fully guaranteed by the third day of the league year. Even with his regular lateness and his lack of production on the field, the Jets aren’t in position to get rid of Wilkerson. The Jets have no leverage in this situation.

After Muhammad Wilkerson was late to a team meeting, the Jets benched him for the first quarter of Saturday’s game. Apparently, Wilkerson is regularly late, according to a report by Connor Hughes of NJ.com.

"According to a source with knowledge of the situation, Wilkerson has regularly shown up late to team’s morning meetings this season. Sometimes, he misses them altogether."

No team would trade for Wilkerson under his current deal, especially if they know that the Jets are likely to cut him before the third day of the league year. There’s also no reason for Wilkerson to re-negotiate his deal. It’s ludicrous to expect the man to do so.

If the Jets do cut him before the third day of the 2018 league year, they will still owe Wilkerson $9 million and save $11 million on the salary cap. Then, he’d be free to sign with any team, and the Jets would be paying him $9 million to play somewhere else. It’s certainly not worth it to have to pay a man 45 percent of his contract while getting nothing in return. They’re stuck.

No matter what a Jets source told Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, it makes no sense for the Jets to move on from Wilkerson in 2018.

"“He’s gone,” a team source told the Daily News in the wake of Wilkerson’s first-quarter benching against the Chiefs last weekend."

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Fans are clamoring for Wilkerson and the Jets to part ways, but it is unlikely in 2018. The Jets do have a better way out in 2019. They will only have $6 million in dead cap space, and the contract isn’t guaranteed. As for 2018, though, he will likely be donning the green and white.

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