Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
We’re looking at every No. 30 overall pick selected since the 2000 NFL Draft and the Philadelphia Eagles’ chances of landing an impact player.
The Eagles need impact players on both sides of the ball, and with two first-round picks in this month’s draft, Howie Roseman will have another opportunity to add depth to a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
First-round picks are expected to be critical contributors.
The list of No. 30 overall selections has several misses, hits, and a few Hall of Fame-worthy performers.
With the NFL draft fast approaching, we’re looking at every player selected with the 30th pick since 2000.
The Jets’ former first-round pick won’t play for the first two games of the 2020 season if he signs with a team.
Regardless of if former Jets DE Muhammad Wilkerson lands on an NFL team in 2020, he won’t play at the start of the season.
Per ESPN’s Field Yates, the NFL suspended Wilkerson for the first two games of the season after he was charged and arrested in March for DWI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia by New Jersey State Police. It was his second drunk driving arrest in 12 months.
Wilkerson hasn’t played since 2018 as a member of the Green Bay Packers after he spent the previous seven seasons with the Jets. While he only played in three games with the Packers and tallied five total tackles, he initially flourished with the Jets after being drafted 30th overall in 2011. He combined for 44.5 sacks, 410 combined tackles, 11 forced fumbles and 103 quarterback hits in New York.
Wilkerson, along with Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams, formed a formidable trio on the Jets defensive line that tallied 20 combined sacks in 2011. That season also featured Wilkerson’s best year as a pro, as he recorded 12.5 sacks, was selected for his first and only Pro Bowl and signed a lucrative five-year, $83 million contract extension with $53 million in guaranteed money the following offseason.
Wilkerson failed to live up to his new contract and tallied just eight sacks and 104 total tackles in the two years after his extension. The Jets cut him after the 2017 season. He signed with the Packers soon after but suffered a serious ankle injury that forced him to miss all but three games of the 2018 season. Wilkerson didn’t sign with any team after the 2018 season.
Wilkerson recently turned 30, but his off-the-field history, coupled with his declining production, doesn’t bode well for a return to the league.
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Jets Wire takes a look at five of the best players in franchise history from the New York and New Jersey area.
Some of the greatest players in New York Jets franchise history emerged out of the team’s own backyard.
Kids who once spent every weekend watching the Jets play on television would go onto don the Green and White themselves. These players not only suited up for the Jets, but wound up becoming some of the more impactful players in franchise history.
The Jets have had a long history. Not every franchise legend has hailed from the New York and New Jersey areas, but some of them have. Let’s take a look at five of the best local players the Jets have had over the years.
Any list mentioning New York and New Jersey natives to play for the Jets that does not include wide receiver Wayne Chrebet is incomplete.
Chrebet grew up tiny Garfield, New Jersey. He played for Garfield High School before ascending to FCS Hofstra, where he set several school records tied Jerry Rice’s FCS record for touchdowns in a single game with five.
Chrebet went undrafted out of Hofstra, but caught on with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1995 and remained with the organization until his retirement in 2005. In his 11 seasons with New York, Chrebet caught 580 passes (second in franchise history) for 7,365 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was inducted into the New York Jets Ring of Honor in 2014 and his number has not been issued to any Jets player since his retirement.
Former Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was arrested and charged with DWI in New Jersey earlier this week.
Former Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is back in the news for all of the wrong reasons.
Wilkerson, 30, was arrested and charged with DWI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia by the New Jersey State Police earlier this week, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The DWI arrest is Wilkerson’s second, as he was arrested for it last June in Washington Heights, New York.
In that case, Wilkerson was pulled over for running a stop sign. His BAC measured 0.9, which exceeds the legal limit of 0.8 in New York.
A former first-round pick of the Jets’ in 2011, Wilkerson was once one of the top tier defensive ends in the NFL. However, after signing a massive five-year, $86 million contract extension with $53 million in guaranteed money with New York in 2016, his career plummeted into a downward spiral.
Wilkerson’s production trailed off significantly after signing the extension. He also became a headache for the Jets to deal with off the field, frequently showing up late for meetings and violating team rules. The Jets made Wilkerson a healthy scratch for their final two games in 2017 and ultimately released him in February 2018.
Wilkerson caught on with the Packers, but only appeared in three games with Green Bay in 2018. His season came to an abrupt end in late September, as he suffered an ankle injury that landed him on season-ending injured reserve.
Wilkerson was out of football in 2019 and remains a free agent. Although he is not currently on a roster, he is still subject to punishment by the NFL for violating its personal conduct policy.
The Jets Wire names the Jets 2010’s all-decade team with New York’s franchise-worst 10-year stretch ending with a 7-9 finish.
The Jets’ decade started with an AFC Championship appearance, but since then they’ve endured one of the worst stretches in franchise history.
New York has only had one season since in which it was over .500 and failed to return to the playoffs. The Jets have now gone nine consecutive seasons without a playoff berth and a record four straight losing seasons after faring 10-6 in 2015.
To finish off the decade, the Jets went 6-2 after a 1-7 finish, but they still have yet to play meaningful football beyond the first week of January. It seems Gang Green has its quarterback of the future, but does it have enough to start off the next decade with a playoff trip?
Decisions for the future are coming. For now, let’s take a look at the Jets’ 2010s all-decade team:
QB Mark Sanchez: Sanchez was consistently average during his time in New York, but that’s enough to be the team’s best quarterback of the decade. He was the only one to lead Gang Green to the playoffs in this decade. During his time as New York’s signal-caller, Sanchez went 33-29, a much more impressive record than what Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh McCown. The hope is that Sam Darnold will do more to earn the nod 10 years from now.
RB Chris Ivory: Acquired via trade in one of John Idzik’s first moves as New York’s general manager, Ivory had a rather productive three-year tenure in green and white. He ran for over 800 yards in all three seasons, including going over 1,000 yards in 2015.
WR Brandon Marshall: Marshall spent just two seasons with New York, but his 2015 was enough to garner a mention on this list. Marshall set the team record for catches and yards and tied Don Maynard for touchdowns. In 2015, Marshall had 109 catches for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns.
WR Eric Decker: Paired with Marshall, the Jets had one of the most dynamic passing attacks in the league. He could never establish himself as a No. 1 target, but Decker put up those numbers opposite of Marshall. In 2015, Decker had 80 receptions for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns.
WR Santonio Holmes: While Holmes’ Jets career ended on a sour note, he is still largely responsible for helping New York reach its second AFC Championship Game in as many seasons. While his statistics don’t tell the whole story because of his four-game suspension to the begin the season, Holmes was as clutch as can be when it counted.
TE Dustin Keller: One of the more productive tight ends in the history of the franchise, the Jets have been unable to replicate Keller’s success since he departed New York. He finished his six-year tenure with the Jets catching 241 passes for 2,876 yards and 17 scores.
OT D’Brickashaw Ferguson: Ferguson was a staple on the Jets offensive line. He was the glue that kept the left side together and New York never had to worry about it quarterback’s blindside when he was on the field.
OG James Carpenter: Carpenter was the best the Jets had to offer at left guard during the decade. He was a reliable fixture brought in by Idzik and started every single game for New York from 2015-17.
C Nick Mangold: An All-Pro in 2010, Mangold would appear in five of his seven Pro Bowl appearances during the 2010s. The Jets are still itching to find a competent center as his replacement.
OG Brandon Moore: Moore is more famous for Mark Sanchez running into his behind, but he is the best the Jets had at right guard from 2010 on.
RT Damien Woody: While Woody has now spent more time as an ESPN personality than with Gang Green this decade, he provided the most stability at a position that has been a thorn in the Jets’ side.
Honorable Mentions: QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, RB Bilal Powell, RB Shonn Greene, WR Robby Anderson, OG Brian Winters, OT Kelvin Beachum.
