Doomed from the start
Source: Mo should have sat out early in season
WHILE the special teams portion of practice was underway, Muhammad Wilkerson was in the corner of the end zone at the Jets’ indoor practice facility catching passes like a wide receiver.
Wilkerson — t he 6- f oot- 4, 315-pound defensive lineman — was giving his best effort during a light moment before the full practice began. What was noticeable: Wilkerson was limping, his agility limited by an ankle/leg injury that has persisted throughout what has been a disappointing season for the Jets and Wilkerson personally.
He enters Saturday’s game at New England with just 2.5 sacks on the season, a total he might get in a single game when he is healthy, something he never really has been in 2016.
A source close to the Wilkerson camp told The Post early this week Wilkerson would have been better off sitting out the first half of the season while continuing to rehab from the broken right leg suffered in the 2015 season finale at Buffalo. But the source said Wilkerson felt pressured to play from the opening game because of the huge contract he signed in July. It was a five-year deal worth an estimated $86 million with $53.5 million in guarantees over three years.
Wilkerson, entering his sixth season, seemed worthy of being among of the league’s highest paid defensive linemen after earning his first Pro Bowl recognition in 2015, when he collected 12 sacks. But he has been a shell of himself while battling leg injuries since the opening game of the season.
“He would have been better off waiting to come back,” the source said. “But it was hard for him to sit down after signing that contract. Plus he wanted to play. He has a big heart.”
Wilkerson underwent surgery for the broken leg in January. There were no reports of complications during his rehab. Those in t he know said he was dedicated to being 100 percent by the start of the season and felt ready. Plus he had signed a big contract on a team that has playoff aspirations.
If Wilkerson were any other player, he might have been given half the season to fully recover. But that didn’t happen. Instead, he suffered a toe injury in the season opener against the Bengals and has been on the weekly injury report since. He confessed to reporters in October he was bothered by a sore tendon near his ankle that was “related” to the surgery he had to fix his broken leg.
His condition has seemed to deteriorate as the season has gone on. He was inactive for the Jets’ victory over the Ravens on Oct. 23, and despite being in on 39 defensive snaps Saturday, he was credited with just two tackles in a 34-13 loss to the Dolphins. He practiced on a limited basis Thursday but figures to give it another try against the Patriots.
Wilkerson was not available during the media session on Thursday as he tries to get himself through the final two weeks of the most difficult year of his career. The Temple product has been criticized not only for his lack of impact, but also being benched, along with defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson, for the first quarter at Miami on Nov. 6 after they reportedly missed or were late for one or more team meetings.
Wilkerson is viewed as one of the team leaders and having to be benched for an off-the-field issue reflected poorly on coach Todd Bowles, who is the architect of the defense.
Wilkerson’s willingness to play through pain is admirable, but the Jets might have gotten more from him if he had been given more time to recover. It might be wise to sit him for the rest of the year before he incurs another injury that causes a repeat of 2016.