When the handed a in July 2016, they thought they were signing a star defensive lineman who would lead them over
J.P. Crawford Jersey the hump and into the postseason. Instead, in the nearly two seasons since giving Wilkerson that lucrative contract, the Jets have gone 10-20 and Wilkerson's contributions have declined. Still, despite the way the past two seasons have gone, Wilkerson believes he's done everything to earn his paycheck.On Wednesday, when Wilkerson was asked if he's earned the $37 million he's made over the past two seasons, ."I feel like I've earned everything I've gotten," Wilkerson said, per ESPN.The Jets might disagree. Before signing that contract
Nelson Cruz Jersey , Wilkerson racked up 36.5 sacks from 2011-15. Since signing, he's totaled eight sacks in nearly two seasons. At the height of his powers in 2015, Wilkerson registered 12 sacks and according to Pro Football Focus, he was the fourth-most productive pa s rusher among 3-4 defensive ends. This year, he's collected only 3.5 sacks and according to PFF, he's been the 15th (out of 20) most productive pa s rusher at his position group.He was benched for the Jets' lo s to the . As ESPN's Rich Cimini wrote, "It was the second time in 12 days that he had to be disciplined, the fourth time in three years." "He served his sentence," Todd Bowles said, per
Matt Festa Jersey ESPN.Now, the Jets and Wilkerson are at a cro sroads. His 2018 contract is guaranteed for injury, so there's a chance the Jets could bench him for the final two games, which don't hold any playoff implications. Maybe they'll cut him. If they do cut him, they'll be on the hook for $9 million in dead cap but still save $11 million considering his cap hit in 2018 is set at $
Zac Grotz Jersey 20 million. His dead cap shrinks to $6 million in 2019, but it seems unlikely that the Jets will want to hang onto him for that long.Cimini . And for a closer
Ken Griffey Jersey look at Wilkerson's contract, .Whatever happens, this isn't the way the Jets envisioned the Wilkerson era ending. When they signed him to a lucrative extension, they were fresh off a 10-win season. Their defensive line, with Wilkerson, (), and leading the charge, was supposed to be the strength of the team. Now, the Jets are in complete rebuilding mode, the defensive line has been blown up, and Wilkerson doesn't appear to fit into their long-term plans.