The 2011 NFL draft class is getting paid this offseason with Andy Dalton, Richard Sherman, Patrick Peterson, and now J.J. Watt getting big time contract extensions for their excellent play thus far in their career.
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Yesterday, Watt was made the highest paid defensive player in NFL history with a $100 million contract. New York Jets defensive end, Muhammad Wilkerson, who was selected 30th overall in the 2011 draft, was happy for Watt when news broke yesterday, but was obviously frustrated that he has yet to be granted the extension he feels he deserves.
“Of course I’m happy for him, but there’s nothing much I can do about it,” Wilkerson told the New York Post. “I’m just patiently waiting like I’ve always been doing. That’s all I can say. There’s not too much I can say or do about the situation.”
Wilkerson is a dominant force on the Jets defense, and is widely considered to be among the league’s best defensive ends. In his three-year career, Wilkerson has racked up 18.5 sacks, six forced fumbles, one interception, and nine passes deflected at the line.
It is quite evident that Wilkerson is the driving force of the Jets defense, and yet he is set to be paid only $1.2 million this season. The Jets did, however, exercise Wilkerson’s fifth-year option that will pay him $6.97 million. Regardless, a contract extension would pay far more than his fifth-year option.
For not, Wilkerson will just have to wait it out and see if anything develops over the first few weeks of the regular season.