New York Jets: Muhammad Wilkerson Vows To Be Ready Week 1
New York Jets defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson is confident that he will be able to get on the field for Week 1 of the regular season.
The New York Jets surprised the football world last week when they agreed to a long-term deal with defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson. There had been no reports of a deal being close, as it seemingly came out of thin air like a Harry Houdini magic trick.
The Jets are happy to have Wilkerson back into the fold, and with his contract now behind him, it is time to beginning focusing on training camp and preparations for the season. This is the important part for Wilkerson, as he is rehabbing from an injury.
Wilkerson broke his leg in the Jets’ final game of 2015 against the Buffalo Bills, and has been rehabbing throughout the offseason. Despite not being around the Jets much, it seems as if Wilkerson’s rehab has been going well.
"“Rehab is going well,” Wilkerson said to the Associated Press. “I’m running four times a week and just taking it day by day. I’m focusing on my leg and rehabbing each and every day. When the coaches feel it is time for me to get out there on the field and I am ready to go, I will be out there.”"
When that will occur no one is sure of. The Jets will undoubtedly take things slow with Wilkerson, as they do not want to rush him back before he is ready. While a broken bone is easier for a team to evaluate than soft tissue injuries like a hamstring strain, taking it slow and steady is still the right course of action.
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Despite not having a date set in stone yet of when he will return to the field with his teammates, Wilkerson has expressed confidence that he will not miss any games that count, and will be ready to go by Week 1 of the regular season. “I will be ready for Week 1,” he also said to the AP.
Wilkerson is from New Jersey, so he is happy about a deal being reached that will keep him there with the Jets for the next five years. Wilkerson and the Jets agreed on a five-year worth more than $85 million. He will earn $37 million guaranteed the first two years of the deal, and will have been paid $54 million guaranteed through three years.
That is a lot of money for the Jets to shell out, but Wilkerson is definitely worth it. He is one of the best 3-4 defensive lineman in the NFL, and the stats back it up. Through his first five seasons with the Jets, Wilkerson has piled up 36.5 sacks, 372 total tackles, seven forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 77 games.
“I definitely wanted to be here,” Wilkerson said. “I’m from New Jersey … wanted to raise my children here, and I’m really excited to be here.”
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The Jets are also happy to have him, as they were able to hang onto one of the best defensive players in the NFL. They will be trotting out one of the most fearsome front lines in the NFL, as Wilkerson will be joined by Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams along the defensive line.