Muhammad Wilkerson Released by Jets, Will Enter Free Agency

The New York Jets announced the release of veteran defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson on Wednesday. 

Wilkerson, 28, registered 46 tackles, 3.5 sacks and an interception in 13 games this past season.

As Rich Cimini of ESPN.com noted, the release of Wilkerson paired with the retirement of running back Matt Forte will save the Jets a total of $14 million. Since Wilkerson won't be designated as a June 1 cut, per Cimini, the Jets will save $11 million of his total $20 million cap hit.

Had the Jets waited until after March 16, Wilkerson's entire 2018 salary would have been fully guaranteed. Per Cimini, his release was inevitable after things turned sour between the player and organization in the 2017 campaign: 

"Wilkerson, 28, was benched for the final three games, ostensibly because he was late for a meeting on Dec. 15—the fourth time since 2015 he was disciplined for tardiness.

"The Jets decided to keep him off the field for the remainder of the season because they were concerned about a potential injury, which could've resulted in them being on the hook for his 2018 salary. By then, the organization had decided Wilkerson's fate."

Wilkerson was one of the top defensive tackles in the NFL earlier in his career, registering 10.5 sacks in 2013 and 12 sacks in 2015, earning him a Pro Bowl nod. That also earned him a five-year, $86 million contract extension with the Jets.

But the veteran notched a total of eight sacks the past two seasons and earned a 79.8 grade from Pro Football Focus this past season, putting him 50th among interior defensive lineman. As Cimini reported, "Privately, team officials questioned whether he still had a passion for the game."