Bump N’ Run w/ KT: Jets Sign Wilkerson, Miller Gets Mega-Deal And Nick Saban Still Hated By All

Muhammad Wilkerson (Photo by Ron Antonelli/Getty Images)

We are a week away from the beginning of NFL Training Camps and the unofficial start of the NFL season. College Football conferences are having their media days as they are raring to go for their camps has well. Bump N’ Run is here to get you ready for the countdown until camp with the major news that has transpired in the last week. Let’s begin with the big signing by the New York Jets.

Gang Green Sign Wilkerson Long-Term Deal, Fitzpatrick Next?

Right at the deadline to sign Franchise Tag players this past Friday, the Jets and star defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson agreed to a five-year contract. The deal, which was negotiated all day Friday, is worth $86 million with $36.75 million guaranteed and a $15 million signing bonus. Wilkerson’s $17.2 million salary per season makes him the highest paid Jet per season in team history and his guaranteed is only second to Darrelle Revis and his deal last season.

Needless to say this move was necessary for the Jets to complete before Wilkerson hit the free agent market next offseason. Now that the Jets have their centerpiece on defense signed for five years, it’s getting to that time where they have to shift their focus to Ryan Fitzpatrick. As mentioned in a previous BNR, I believe this whole saga between the team and Fitzpatrick will end by training camp, first preseason game at the latest. The fact that Wilkerson took a deal that was not overly expensive (yes, $17 million is a lot of money but he’s worth a little more) says that maybe he was thinking that leaving some money on the table could benefit the team. The team is set at all other positions. The only thing missing is a starting quarterback and no offense to Geno Smith, the Jets do not have a starting quarterback in camp right now.

GET IT DONE.

All Quiet On The Giants Front Heading Into Training Camp

It seems that no news is good news when it comes to the New York Football Giants going into training camp which begins on July 29. They signed punter Brad Wing to a new deal last week and that has been it in the last eight days. All eyes are ready to see if Victor Cruz is ready to hit the field, if Jason Pierre-Paul and his surgically altered hand can improve, and if Ben McAdoo is ready to assume the head coaching duties with the Giants.

I am a Giants fan but objectively looking at everything, I see a 9-7 season from the Giants. Too many things need to fall in place for Big Blue to compete for the division. With the Redskins adding Josh Norman and the Cowboys drafting Ezekiel Elliott, it will take a superhuman effort from the Giants to win upwards of 10 games or more. I hope they do but I have my doubts.

Moving The Chains

• Von Miller finally got his “cheddar” from the Broncos after signing a six-year, $114.5 million deal with $70 million guaranteed. The man who led the Broncos defense is locked up until 2021 and the one certainty of the Broncos is solidified. Their defense will be good….the offense, most importantly the quarterback position, has questions all over it.
• Nick Saban was at the SEC’s Media Days last week and once again showed why he was one of the least liked people in college football. He took offense to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum questioning why Saban hasn’t levied discipline on players Cam Robinson and Laurence Jones after they were arrested on drug and gun charges. Saban said it was an internal issue and even went on to insinuate that the cops that pulled his players over were picking on his players and that they were fans of another team. Just another coach who cares about winning and not building men with character and honor.