Redskins should target recently released DL Muhammad Wilkerson

The New York Jets released Muhammad Wilkerson on Wednesday afternoon. The Washington Redskins should have a high level of interest in the defensive lineman.

Over the course of the past few days, NFL teams have been cutting quality players like crazy. These veterans often come with heftier price tags that don’t match their production level. However, they all still have the capabilities of being role players and starters, and none have more potential than Muhammad Wilkerson.

Wilkerson, the former New York Jet, was cut just two years after signing a huge five-year deal. He hadn’t performed up to his $17.2 million in average annual value, so the rebuilding Jets elected to part ways with him. It saved them cap space to potentially make a run at Kirk Cousins while giving them other resources to help build their team.

With Wilkerson on the open market, he will have a lot of suitors. One of them should end up being the Washington Redskins. The team could use another high-caliber player on the defensive line, and I recently spoke of how Wilkerson should be one of the top potential cuts for the Redskins to target.

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"In 2015, [Wilkerson] notched a career high 12 sacks and was one of the most dominant linemen in the game. But in the past two seasons, he has combined for just eight sacks and hasn’t been nearly as impactful. At times, it seems that he takes plays off. With over $30 million left on the final two years of his deal, the Jets may decide to part with him because he hasn’t proven that he wants to play up to his ability.If Wilkerson hits the open market, he should have some suitors. He will convince one team to sign him to a lucrative deal, even if it is just a “prove it” deal to ensure that he stays motivated. Imagining a defensive line duo of Jonathan Allen and Wilkerson, paired with whatever nose tackle the team can land in the draft, could be terrifying for opposing defenses. So, he is on top of the list of players to keep an eye on."

With his release, that remains true. Wilkerson could end up being an excellent player once again if he puts in the effort. He is a very strong five technique and could make a big impact as a pass rusher. He would really complete the the team’s defensive line, as he would be a strong starter while pushing Matt Ioannidis and Ziggy Hood into backup roles.

In the event that the team signs Wilkerson, they would probably have to part ways with a guy like Terrell McClain, unless they wanted to have a lot of money allocated to a backup on the defensive line. He wasn’t particularly effective in his one year in Washington, so moving on wouldn’t be a big deal.

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The only concern for Washington is that Wilkerson could end up costing too much. At the same time, if they sign him to a heavily incentive based deal or ink him to a big, one-year contract, they could protect themselves from ending up with an albatross contract on their books. Either way, adding Wilkerson should be a goal of the Redskins front office as free agency draws nearer, unless the cost is prohibitive.

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