It wasn't all that long ago that Muhammad Wilkerson was widely considered one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL.
After he racked up 301 tackles, 36.5 sacks, 21 passes deflections and 10 forced fumbles during his first five NFL seasons, the Jets handed him a five-year, $86 million contract that contained $53 million in guarantees and a $15 million signing bonus. That deal made him one of the handful of highest-paid defensive players in football.
But things soon started to fall apart for both Wilkerson and the Jets, as well as the relationship between the two. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Wilkerson was less productive than he had previously been and was repeatedly disciplined by the team for off-field issues (most of them related to his constant lateness to team meetings). The Jets finally elected to cut ties with him earlier this offseason, and he landed with the Packers on a one-year deal worth just $5 million.
And for now, that's just fine with Wilkerson. He knows he needs to prove himself again in order to get another big payday, and he's ready to do just that.
Wilkerson joining a playoff contender on a prove-it deal can either work out really well for him, or really poorly. He's not necessarily going to get a chance to rack up a ton of stats, but he'll likely be put in pretty good position to succeed -- especially given that he's reuniting with former Jets defensive coordinator Mike Pettine, who now holds the same job in Green Bay.
If Wilkerson can put together a season that more closely resembles his first five years in the league rather than the last two, he can make himself some more money next winter. If he struggles again, even on a better team and a better defense, it might be one-year, low-money deals from here on out.