The Silver Lining

This should come as no surprise. The chances of anything happening are a major long-shot. And perhaps it’s right to be a long-shot . . .

According to the Newark Star-Ledger, Mo Wilkerson’s agent and the Mr. Coffee aren’t really negotiating a long-term deal right now.

“According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the two sides are still not talking,” wrote the Star-Ledger’s Dom Cosentino.

That source, perhaps the agent, was also asked if there is anything cooking?

“Nothing,” the person replied.

And don’t expect anything to change.

Wilkerson is most likely going to play this year under the franchise tag for $15.7 million.

There are a couple of factors here.

First off, he’s coming off a broken leg. And while his rehabilitation (a lot of it at the Jets complex, even though he hasn’t signed) seems to be going well, and he’s running again, it’s still unclear how he will fair doing the football thing. Running sprints in rehab is way different than playing football.

And how foolish would the Jets look if they gave him a contract like Fletcher Cox in Philadelphia (a six-year deal for $102 million with $63 million guaranteed), which is what Wilkerson wants, and then he goes out and isn’t the same player because of the leg? Very foolish.

It’s a shame Wilkerson broke his leg, but it’s not pragmatic to give a player $63 million guaranteed while he’s still in rehab. It’s just not.

Also, I don’t think the Jets were ever inclined to give Wilkerson $63 million guaranteed. The Eagles can do whatever they want, so can the Bills with Marcel Dareus. The Jets don’t want to go there, especially with Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams in the building.

And while Wilkerson is ticked off, this could work out very well for the Jets in 2016.

Even if Wilkerson is livid with Mr. Coffee, he’s going to need to have a monster year to get a huge deal from the Jets next year, or for the Jets to tag him and trade him somewhere else for him to get paid.

So the Jets have the potential to have best defensive line in football this year with Wilkerson. Richardson and Williams (along with NT Steve McLendon on running downs).

And with Wilkerson in need of a career year to get a big pay day, along with Richardson losing weight improving his already great quickness and Williams expected to take a big leap in Year Two, this unit seems poised for greatness in 2016.

Both Jimmy Johnson and Bill Walsh, who have five Super rings between the two of them, believed you build champion teams on the defensive line and at quarterback.

While the Jets might not have a superstar QB (thought Fitz was certainly above average last year aside from the last game), they will have the type of defensive line talent Johnson and Walsh always strived for.

And that unit could help the Jets win a number of games this year. That is how good they could be.

July 8, 2016

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