Chatelain: Giants Should Make Serious Play For Jets' Wilkerson
By Ryan Chatelain
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These three words might not be easy for Jets fans to hear as free agency kicks into fifth gear Thursday: Let Mo go.
Provided other things work out, trading defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is the right move and could go a long way toward helping the Jets sustain what they started last season. The Jets are cash-strapped and have a number of holes to fill, but they have an embarrassment of riches at defensive end.
And their MetLife Stadium roomies, the Giants, could be the perfect partner for such a blockbuster deal. They enter free agency with stacks of money to spend, pressure on them to end their own playoff drought and a glaring need to fix their dismal pass rush.
Wilkerson could serve as a solution for both teams.
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Let's be honest. Unless general manager Mike Maccagnan has some magic up his sleeve, the Jets don't have the cap space -- with $6.5 million available, they're dead last in the NFL -- to retain most of their key free agents and sign their draft picks while trying to upgrade a roster that, as encouraging as their 10-6 record was, still came up short of a playoff berth last season.
Re-signing quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, assuming they can strike a deal, might cost more than the $8 million to $10 million the Jets were penciling into their ledger. Bringing back talented nose tackle Damon Harrison likely is not going to happen given his market, so they'll have to find an alternative. The Jets also need a new starting running back, now that Chris Ivory has reportedly agreed to terms with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and could also use help on the offensive line, at linebacker and at cornerback.
It would be a bitter pill for many Jets fans to swallow to see Wilkerson, who has amassed double-digits sacks two of the past three seasons and is still just 26 years old, don a different uniform, especially that of Big Blue, but dealing him is the right thing to do.
The Linden, New Jersey, native would collect $15.7 million from the Jets if he plays under the franchise tag this year. The team could reduce his 2016 cap figure by reaching a long-term deal with him. But does it really make sense to invest so heavily in Wilkerson with so many other areas of need?
The Jets, of course, already have two young, starting-caliber defensive ends in Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams. Wilkerson has a stronger resume than both at this point, but having three quality defensive ends is a luxury the Jets just can't afford right now, especially because doing so would likely leave a gaping hole at nose tackle, assuming Harrison walks.
And heck, this kind of flexibility is exactly why you pounce on a Williams when he falls to you in the draft despite having bigger needs elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the Giants got to the quarterback last year about as often as a Kardashian avoided a camera. Big Blue had just 23 sacks, third fewest in the NFL. Consequently, general manager Jerry Reese has made no secret that he hopes to add someone who can bring some heat.
On Tuesday, the Giants reached and agreement with Jason Pierre-Paul for another year, but that's not so much a move aimed at curing their pass-rushing ills as it is wishful thinking. Many wondered when JPP blew off part of his hand in a fireworks accident last July 4 whether he'd be an effective player again. One sack in eight games last season did nothing to erase those doubts.
And besides, even if Pierre-Paul can return to Pro Bowl form, there's certainly room for another quality pass rusher on the Giants.
But the free agent pool for edge rushers is shallow and costly, especially after the Dolphins snagged Mario Williams, Tamba Hali re-upped with the Chiefs and Charles Johnson returned to the Panthers on Tuesday. Greg Hardy? Not worth the headaches. The leftovers? They're no Muhammad Wilkerson, even when considering he'd have to make the transition from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3.
Of course, there are two sticking points when it comes to trading for Wilkerson: compensation and health.
The Jets reportedly would trade Wilkerson today for a top-15 draft pick (The Giants pick 10th). But if Maccagnan doesn't find any suitors at that asking price, he would be wise to settle for perhaps a second- and third-rounder considering the Jets' tight cap situation and needs.
Many teams reportedly are reluctant to give up a high draft pick and pay Wilkerson the big bucks he's sure to command. If you want a measuring stick, try the six-year, $90 million deal that Malik Jackson scored from the Jaguars on Tuesday.
The Giants, however, entered free agency with more than $56 million to spend. They could sign Wilkerson and still upgrade at other spots.
It's tough to say how much the Giants would be willing to give up in a trade for Wilkerson. Is he worth a high first-round pick in their eyes? If not, can the Giants and Jets agree on another price?
What could be a roadblock in a potential Wilkerson trade is the defensive end's right leg, which he broke in the season finale against Buffalo. Perhaps doing some covert salesmanship, Maccagnan noted in January that it's the kind of injury that many players come back from. But it was a significant break, requiring surgery and six months of rehab. When the investment is so high, teams tend to want more assurances about a player's health, and Wilkerson likely won't be running around on a football field until training camp.
Yes, a lot would have to fall into place for the Jets to send Wilkerson to the Giants. But a lot makes sense about why New York's two NFL teams should at the very least entertain the possibility.
Follow Ryan on Twitter at @ryanchatelain
