Muhammad Wilkerson appears not to have a long-term future with the New York Jets, and he’s not in their plans for Week 15.
According to Dennis Waszak Jr. of the Associated Press, Jets coach Todd Bowles revealed Wilkerson will not be making the trip to play the New Orleans Saints.
Most notably, though, Bowles said it’s a coaching decision. Wilkerson is officially stuck in the coach’s doghouse.
Wilkerson has spent all seven seasons with New York since the franchise selected him in first round of the 2011 NFL draft. During the first five years of this career, Wilkerson collected 36 sacks.
However, the relationship between Wilkerson and the team has soured recently, so much that a previous report said the Jets will move on from him this offseason.
The 28-year-old signed an $86 million extension in July 2016, but he hasn’t performed at the same level since then. According to Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports, the organization would save $11 million and take a $9 million dead cap hit in 2018 if it cuts Wilkerson.
That seems inevitable. The biggest question is whether he plays another down for the Jets this season before the sides move in different directions.