Muhammad Wilkerson Update

When you have one of the best defensive lineman on your team, and he hasn’t signed your franchise tag yet he is going to be the topic of conversation. Plenty of Wilkerson questions were directed to NY Jets head coach Todd Bowles. Here is what the coach thinks about the situation.

On Wilkerson’s progress from rehab…
He’s coming along fine. Until you see him out there practicing, you really just let him go ahead and rehab. But he’s come along good.

On if he’s concerned that Wilkerson’s contract situation will become a distraction to the team…
No, and me being a player, I think everybody—every player  in the league thinks they’re under paid, so it’s part of business. It’s something that will work itself out.

On if he is concerned that Wilkerson’s contract situation will be a distraction…
No.

On the organization’s official stance on Wilkerson…
I’m not going to discuss Mo’s situation here in public. I’ll talk to them and Mo about it. I’m not going to talk to everybody else about it. It’s something that I’ve always done.

On how he feels about players venting frustration regarding Wilkerson not receiving an extension…
They’re friends. I mean, you’re going to say that. As a player, and you’re young enough to be friends. Players play, coaches coach, managers manage, lawyers do what they do.

On if Wilkerson would have been healthy enough to participate in mini-camp if he was signed…
No.

On his expectation for when Wilkerson will return…
I will wait and see, and I’ll listen to the trainers and doctors, and get a better feel closer to training camp. Right now, I don’t have a feel for it.

On if Wilkerson is still scheduled to be ready by Week One…
I’m hoping that’s the case, but I’ll wait and see. I’m hoping he doesn’t have any setbacks.

On why he feels that Wilkerson’s contract situation isn’t a distraction…
You can ask any player in the League and they’re going to have the underpaid answer. It’s not a distraction, it’s just part of business. People get frustrated. People vent out. It’s no different than your kids. If you get frustrated, you vent, you vent out and you move on.

On if he is concerned that Wilkerson’s play will be affected if he does not get a long-term deal…
No.

On the reason he is not concerned that Wilkerson’s play will be affected…
Like I said, we’re not going to discuss Mo out here in public. I’m going to discuss it with his people and our people. I’m not going to discuss it right here.

On if he is bothered that Wilkerson discussed the topic in public…
No, it doesn’t bother me. I was twenty-something once too and I said a lot of things that I said or didn’t want to say. When you’re younger, you say things, but he says things that he means, so obviously he meant them.