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Report: Wilkerson Not Into Playing Games, Fully Expects To Be 'Jet For Life'

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- So much for leverage.

Muhammad Wilkerson is coming off a stellar season with the Jets and is expecting to get a long-term extension.

Like, he literally doesn't want to play anywhere else.

"I told them at the end of the year last year that I want to be a Jet — a Jet for life," Wilkerson told the NY Post at a Play 60 appearance at the team's headquarters on Thursday. "I'm from the area (Linden, N.J.), I'm a local guy, so I would love to be here and finish my career here."

It appears the Jets' intention is to make sure their star defensive lineman gets to do just that, but it looks like it will only happen on their timetable. Because if we've learned anything during the short reign of general manager John Idzik, it's that he does not move quickly for anyone.

Wilkerson doesn't seem to care, nor does he sound too determined to dangle his tremendous 2013 season in front of Idzik's nose. He said he has no intentions of holding out should the Jets pick up the fifth year option on his current contract instead of giving him a new deal, which will almost certainly be loaded with guaranteed money.

"That's what I have an agent for," said Wilkerson, who was a regular weekly guest on Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts' show on WFAN. "I'm not holding out. My agent is talking with Idzik, and that's all I can say. I have nothing to do with that. I'm just going to let him take care of that. That's his job. I'm just here to play ball.

"It is what it is. If (a long-term deal) happens, it happens. I don't control what goes on upstairs," he added.

The 30th overall selection in the 2011 draft out of Temple, Wilkerson had a career-high 10.5 sacks, plus 63 tackles and an interception for the Jets last season.

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