Wilkerson, Forte out as Jets free cap space
New York has $90M to spend after DE is released, RB retires.
The Jets decided it was time for Mo to go.
Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was released by New York on Wednesday, ending the former Pro Bowler’s stint with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2011.
The long-anticipated move clears $11 million in space under the salary cap, although there will still be a $9 million charge in dead money that will count against the cap. Wilkerson was due to make $16.75 million next season — which would have become fully guaranteed if he remained on New York’s roster by the third day of the league’s new year in March.
Wilkerson had just eight sacks in his last 28 games, dating to the start of 2016.
Coupled with running back Matt Forte’s retirement announcement earlier Wednesday, the Jets now have about $90 million in cap space. The 32-year-old Forte announced his retirement after 10 NFL seasons in statement on Twitter and Instagram.
“It’s time for the workhorse to finally rest in his stable,” Forte wrote.
He had one year remaining on his contract with the Jets, but knee issues during his two seasons in New York, as well as his age, made him a likely salary cap casualty.
Broncos: GM John Elway gave his clearest indication yet that he’s going to pursue Kirk Cousins, the prize of this year’s free-agent quarterback class.
“We’re going to explore all options in free agency and see where that goes,” Elway said Wednesday at the NFL combine. “Obviously we’ve got the fifth pick in the draft, too. That will all play into it. We’ll continue to look at all of the options out there when it comes to quarterback.”
With the Redskins moving on to Alex Smith, whom they’ve agreed to acquire from Kansas City, that group of free agents would include Cousins, who figures to command more than the record $27.5 million that Jimmy Garoppolo will receive in his new deal with the 49ers.
Packers: General manager Brian Gutekunst said the team would like to extend the contract of quarterback Aaron Rodgers “sooner rather than later.”
Rodgers is under contract through the 2019 season following a five-year extension signed in 2013 that boosted his annual average salary to $22 million, making him the highest-paid player in the league back then. The 34-year old Rodgers has since been passed by other less-accomplished players.
Bills: Coach Sean McDermott said cutting quarterback Tyrod Taylor is not part of the team’s current plans, though he won’t rule out trading the three-year starter.
Taylor, who helped lead the Bills to a 9-7 record and their first playoff berth since 1999, enters the final year of his deal and is due a $6 million bonus in two weeks.
Colts: The club does not intend to re-sign 34-year-old running back Frank Gore, GM Chris Ballard announced. Gore, soon to be a free agent, is fifth in career rushing yards in NFL history.
“Frank is at a point where he knows we need to get younger,” Ballard said. “And I wanted to give Frank a chance to finish his career where he wants to.”
Panthers: Released running back Jonathan Stewart, who became the franchise’s career rushing leader in 2017, finishing with 7,318 rushing yards.
Bears: GM Ryan Pace said the Bears will release backup QB Mike Glennon rather than bring him back for a second season after he lost his job to rookie Mitchell Trubisky.
Tuesday’s Games Wednesday’s Games
(At) Celtics 134, Hornets 106: Kyrie Irving scored 34 points in the first three quarters, and then sat out the fourth with the rest of Boston’s starters. Aron Baynes had 12 points and 10 rebounds and Jaylen Brown scored 15, including nine in the third quarter as the Celtics shot 60 percent and turned the game into a blowout.
■ Warriors 109, (at) Wizards 101: A day after taking schoolkids to a museum instead of visiting President Donald Trump at the White House, Golden State won for the seventh time in eight games as Kevin Durant scored 32 points and Stephen Curry added 25.
■ (At) Pistons 110, Bucks 87: Andre Drummond had 15 points and 16 rebounds as Detroit routed Milwaukee. Blake Griffin added eight points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Detroit, which won for only the second time in eight games.
Raptors 117, (at) Magic 104: DeMar DeRozan scored 21 points and Kyle Lowry added 17 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds to lead Toronto past Orlando, which has lost seven straight games.
(At) Hawks 107, Pacers 102: Dennis Schroder scored seven of Atlanta’s final eight points to finish with 14, and the Hawks ended their four-game losing streak.
Suns at Grizzlies: Late
Pelicans at Spurs: Late
Thunder at Mavericks: Late
Rockets at Clippers: Late
NBA note
Lakers: Veteran guard Corey Brewer was waived and center Thomas Bryant was recalled from the team’s G League affiliate. Brewer played in 54 games for Los Angeles this season, averaging 3.7 points and 1.7 rebounds mostly as a reserve.