While everyone focuses on the NFL draft, which begins on Thursday night, teams are making calls not just about trading picks but also trading players. One player that has caught the eyes of “at least two teams” is New York Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, a 2011 first-round pick.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a league source has told him that two teams, and possibly more, have contacted the Jets about trading for Wilkerson.
At least two teams, possibly more, have approached NY Jets about trading for Muhammad Wilkerson, per league source. Bares watching Thursday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 28, 2015
Wilkerson has been an integral part of the Jets’ front seven for four years, totaling 236 combined tackles, 24 sacks, seven forced fumbles, one fumble recovered, one interception and 14 passes defensed. But that doesn’t make him untouchable. At this time of year, almost any player can be wrested away from their current team for the right price.
It should be noted, though, that Schefter is reporting that teams are calling the Jets about Wilkerson. This implies that the Jets are not actively shopping him—they aren’t the ones making the phone calls. But given the leak, it’s possible this rumor has legs.
The Jets have the sixth-overall pick this year and could use it on USC defensive lineman Leonard Williams, whom they hosted for a pre-draft visit earlier this month. Pairing Williams with Sheldon Richardson would make Wilkerson an odd man out, and thus a candidate for a trade.
Further, Wilkerson missed the Jets’ voluntary workouts. Though he is working out on his own, the absence is presumed to be related to his desire for a contract extension from the Jets. Wilkerson could get the extension, albeit from another team, if the Jets take any of these interested teams’ offers seriously.
But it looks like Wilkerson will only be a candidate for a trade if the Jets can land his replacement with their Round 1 pick. They cannot simply assume that Williams will be there at No. 6 and move Wilkerson now; that would be a fool’s errand. You don’t just trade away Pro Football Focus’ (subscription required) third-ranked 3-4 defensive end of 2014 without having a replacement already in place. This Wilkerson rumor, however, adds another layer of intrigue to the Jets’ plans in Round 1 of the draft.
Photo: USA Today Sports