The New York Jets are reportedly not likely to complete a trade involving franchise-tagged defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson during the 2016 NFL draft.
According to Rich Cimini of ESPN, Wilkerson has “no serious suitors” as of Wednesday.
“It’s draft-day eve, and Wilkerson has no serious suitors, a league source said Wednesday,” Cimini wrote. “The Jets have fielded a few calls, the NFL Network reported, but no trade is imminent. It’ll be difficult to make a deal on the clock because of the complexities of dealing a player with the franchise tag, so it looks like Wilkerson will be sticking around.”
The Jets used the franchise tag on Wilkerson to start the new league year, but speculation has persisted in New York finding a trade partner—mostly due to a tight salary cap situation and several other talented players on the roster along the defensive line.
Wilkerson, 26, produced a team-high 12.0 sacks before breaking his leg in the season finale.
The Jets have left the possibility of a trade open, including scenarios in which New York would use Wilkerson to move up in the first round of Thursday night’s draft. But unless a deal is close to being completed right now, such a trade is unlikely to sudden spring to life during the first round.
The Jets currently hold the No. 20 overall pick.
Teams such as the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers have been mentioned as potential trade partners, but it seems more likely now that both teams will keep their picks and leave Wilkerson in New York. The Jets can’t really complain about having a game-changing interior defender back for 2016, even if it’s nothing more than an expensive, one-year rental.
Wilkerson’s franchise tag tender is worth $15.7 million next season.
