Report: Jets' Muhammad Wilkerson Appeared Out Of Shape At Temple's Pro Day
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- Jets defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was spotted last week looking terribly out of shape, according to a report.
The New York Daily News' Manish Mehta reported that several scouts who attended Temple's Pro Day in Philadelphia last week told him they were stunned by how overweight Wilkerson looked.
Wilkerson, a first-round pick by the Jets in 2011, starred at Temple and was on hand for the NFL draft showcase event.
One scout called Wilkerson "sloppy." Another described, "He looked like a pedestrian with a huge gut." A different eyewitness said the defensive end looked "absolutely terrible."
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After signing a five-year, $86 million deal with the Jets in July, Wilkerson recorded just 4 1/2 sacks last season, his lowest output since his rookie year.
The defensive end, however, was coming off a broken leg in the previous season's finale and then battled an early-season ankle injury.
But Wilkerson's lack of discipline also landed him in coach Todd Bowles' doghouse. Wilkerson was benched for the first quarter of one game for being late to team meetings. The day before another game, he reportedly missed a walkthrough and a defensive meeting, where a birthday party for him was planned.
Just before the end of the season, Wilkerson then publicly blamed the team's training staff for not having a plan for treating his ankle.
The Jets' 2016 roster listed Wilkerson at 315 pounds. It's unclear how much he weighs now.
Wilkerson declined comment to the Daily News through a Jets spokesman.