NFL free agency 2016: Top 5 available

1. Muhammad Wilkerson

Incredibly, the New York Jets have not made much progress toward signing Muhammad Wilkerson throughout the regular season, according to multiple and continuing reports. Wilkerson is the best 3-4 defensive end in the National Football League not named J.J. Watt, able to push the pocket against the pass and stop the run.

Wilkerson is the kind of player who can change the game. Wilkerson can eat up a tackle in pass protection, putting the guy on proverbial skates before getting to the quarterback. On the other side of the coin, there might not be a better player in the game at anchoring against the run and taking on a double team. Once a first-round pick out of Temple, Wilkerson has blossomed into a superstar.

It stands to reason that the Jets will either franchise tag Wilkerson or sign him long-term before he hits the market, but this is the Jets after all. Perhaps New York feels like it can’t pay everybody, only one year after spending a ton on Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis.

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