The Miami Dolphins picked up the biggest free agent of the offseason when they Ndamukong Suh to a six-year, $114 million contract—the richest deal for a defensive player in NFL history.
Finding another player who truly deserves that mega-contract might take a few seasons, though it won’t stop some outspoken guys from lobbying for it.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, New York Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson wants teammate Muhammad Wilkerson to sign the next nine-figure agreement. Richardson said:
“He’s worth that penny. And you know what penny I’m talking about. … We don’t just want J.J. Watt money. We want it all. We want (Ndamukong) Suh money. Hopefully everybody wants that type of bread in this league.”
Richardson also alluded to Tampa Bay Buccaneers lineman Gerald McCoy receiving a seven-year, $98 million contract as a reason Wilkerson should ink a similar deal.
“If Gerald McCoy can get $100 million, I’m pretty sure my guy Mo Wilkerson can get $100 million.”
ProFootballFocus (subscription required) rated Richardson (No. 2) and Wilkerson (No. 3) as the best 3-4 defensive ends behind Houston Texans star J.J. Watt, so no one should question the value of the Jets duo.
However, Richardson must realize that if Wilkerson gets his $100 million, there’s no chance New York could afford to offer that much to a fellow lineman. Or, maybe Richardson understands that, and he’s merely saying that both of them deserve it and could pursue that money in free agency.
Granted, the Jets could let Wilkerson play out the final year of his rookie deal and then slap the franchise tag on the young star, effectively keeping him around for two more seasons without a long-term agreement.
But if Richardson gets his way, Wilkerson—in the near future—will be the proud new owner of a $100 million contract.
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