Muhammad Wilkerson will open the season healthier and wealthier than he ended it.
At least that is the plan for the Jets defensive lineman after beating the franchise-tag deadline on Friday by signing a five-year, $85 million contract. Wilkerson, who has spent the offseason rehabbing the leg he broke in the Jets’ season finale against the Bills, declared Wednesday that he plans to be in uniform for the season opener against the Bengals on Sept. 11.
“I will be ready for week one,” Wilkerson said in a conference call on Wednesday.
Wilkerson said he is not sure whether he will be able to practice or will be placed on the team’s physically unable to perform list when the Jets open training camp next week. He said, however, that the rehab has been going well and he’s up to running four times a week. With his contract situation now settled, he said he can devote all of his energy to getting back on the field as quickly as possible.
“I’m just happy to get a deal done,” Wilkerson said. “I’m glad that part of the situation is over and I can focus on football and getting ready for the season. ... I definitely wanted to be here. I’m from New Jersey. I’m from here. My family’s here and I want to raise my family here, so I’m very excited to be here.”
Wilkerson, 26, is from Linden, New Jersey, went to Linden High School and played collegiately at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Wilkerson and his agent had been seeking a deal close to the one signed by Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who is making more $100 million over a six-year contract signed in 2014. The contract standoff came to a surprise end on Friday just when it seemed as though Wilkerson was going to have to play for a franchise tag.
Wilkerson led the Jets with 12 sacks last season, and was a leader on a defense that held opponents to a paltry 83.4 yards per game last year. Wilkerson has 36.5 sacks and 184 tackles in his five seasons with the Jets. He believes the Jets defense can be even better this season.
“The sky is the limit with the defense,” he said. “We can be as good as we want to be as long as everyone is putting the work in every day.”
Wilkerson also implied that he expects the Jets to be a playoff team this season.
Said Wilkerson: “I think we just have to keep building off of last year. We had a good record of 10-6 and didn’t get to the postseason so we have to make sure we build off that to make sure we get into the postseason.”
..... - Newsday