Despite a bundle full of defensive lineman, beast status ruled the day in relation to Muhammad Wilkerson and the New York Jets.
For a long while now, New York Jets fans viewed July 15, 2016 as judgement day.
Whether or not defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson would sign his franchise tender that would reward him a cool $15.701 million in 2016, was the all important judgement at hand.
Fast forward to July 16. Jets fans now view judgement day as that very special day in which bags filled with millions of dollars were secretly airlifted and dropped on top of arguably the top 3-4 defensive end in the NFL (this side of J.J. Watt).
To say anybody expected Mike Maccagnan to get this 5-year, $86 million deal officially done with Big Mo this quickly and painless, would be to say a lie has just occurred.
Nobody expected it. How could you? Not only has all indications pointed toward other results, but it just made sense to not dish out major bucks in this scenario. It’s why this joyful news was met with such open arms by all of Jets fandom.
Finally, the Jets rewarded their top organization talent – something we had failed to see when the likes of Darrelle Revis or Keyshawn Johnson were about to earn theirs.
The fallout from the mega deal is much and is as follows:
Next: Jets Stay Loaded Up Front
Mo, Sheldon & Leonard
The New York Jets now have three stud defensive ends locked up for the next two seasons.
Muhammad Wilkerson is under contract through 2020; Leonard Williams will be on his rookie deal until 2019; and Sheldon Williams – thanks to the Jets picking up a team option this past offseason – is under contract through 2017.
New York has three of the best. However, the problem is obvious: Todd Bowles runs a 3-4 scheme.
None of the three is big enough to play nose tackle or swift enough to shift to the edge (outside linebacker). So, obviously, one guy will always remain on the sideline in base formations. Big Mo’s versatility in playing the edge allows the three to be on the field at the same time in sub-packages.
RELATED: The Drafting Of Darron Lee Suggests The 3-4 Scheme Is Dead
Still, there’s a bit of an issue here.
This is why this signing is all the more commendable.
Maccagnan threw out the sensical playbook and rewarded the most talented, hardest working Jet. This goes a long way in and around the locker room. Other players see this and suddenly realize organizational worth. They start believing they are, indeed, playing for a franchise who loves and respects the hardest working individuals.
The personnel will work itself out in the end. Get ready for a ton of 4-3 sets in 2016.
Next: Mo Took Less
It’s A Steal Of A Deal
This past offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles extended their beast of an interior defensive lineman Fletcher Cox to an absurd 6-year, $102.6 million contract.
When Cox took pen to the paper of that deal, all in Jet land thought hope was lost. How in the world would Maccagnan ever reach an agreement with Muhammad Wilkerson if the minimum threshold was set at a ridiculous $102.6?
Well, it’s happened, and what should be taken from the occurrence is that Big Mo took a lot less than he could have garnered.
RELATED: The Jets Are Handling Big Mo As Poorly As Revis In 2013
During the early stages of his career, mainstream football didn’t understand how talented Wilkerson was. After 2015 – a season that saw him set a career high 12 sacks and make his first Pro Bowl on a walk year – the secret was out.
Wilkerson is arguably the top 3-4 defensive end in football (if J.J. Watt didn’t exist).
While nobody will be crying for Big Mo, as he’s now $86 million richer, he actually deserved more when the true market is analyzed. Furthermore, his guaranteed money of $37 million is, again, far less than he could have held out for.
Much props needs to be handed out to Muhammad Wilkerson for accepting this deal.
Next: FitzMagic Implications
Ryan Fitzpatrick Is Now More Possible
According to Steve Serby of the New York Post:
NFL salary cap expert Joel Corry suggests Wilkerson’s 2016 cap relief deal could free up cap room for a one-year deal with Ryan Fitzpatrick because the Jets had $3.425 million of space before the deal.
Exactly how much money is freed up thanks to the Wilkerson deal remains to be seen. What we’re sure of, though, is that money will, more than likely, be freed up for the short term.
Yes, when big money deals are signed, guaranteed money hits home after a few seasons and cripples the salary cap. However, depending on the escalation of the deal, the first year or two of a five or six year deal will immediately free up extra cap space.
That $3.425 million of cap space most definitely just grew. This means Ryan Fitzpatrick returning in 2016 is now more likely.
The idea of Fitzpatrick coming back on a long-term deal, wasn’t a real promising idea anyway. Mikey Mac might have just killed two birds with one stone.
Breno Giacomini might still need to be that cap casualty to make FitzMagic happen in 2016, but the point is, it’s even more likely that it will happen thanks to the Big Mo 5-year mega deal.