Since I first started watching football, Muhammad Wilkerson has always been my favorite player. His charisma and ability to rush the passer with ease made the Jets defense must see tv. I would often make friendly bets with friends on how many sacks Mo would have in each game. “Two, no maybe, three, actually four…” We would go back and forth, dreaming that his success would one day lead us to the Super Bowl.

A class act off the field and a lock to be inducted into the Jets’ Ring of Honor in the future, Wilkerson appeared to be the face of the franchise for the rest of his career. After dumping a significant number of veterans this past offseason, the Jets needed a new leader to set an example for their incoming rookies. Mo was primed for this role, being one of the few who survived the locker-room purge and one who could take charge of a team. He stated early in the preseason his intentions of teaching fellow teammates the proper work ethic and hustle needed to be successful in the NFL. When the defense was not on the field, Wilkerson was intent on keeping his teammates focused on the sideline. Playing in his prime, Wilkerson was ready to take the final step to stardom. But instead, he decided to do a swan dive backwards directly into the “Pit of Misery.”

Wilkerson has dealt with a few injuries over the past few seasons, including a broken leg at the end of his 2015 campaign. Finishing the season with 12 sacks, Wilkerson earned his first career Pro Bowl selection. It also happened to be his contract year. Wilkerson expected to be rewarded for his hard work and effort he gave the Jets for five straight seasons by being paid handsomely. New York eventually gave Mo his well-deserved pay raise, signing him to a five-year, $86 million-dollar extension. At the time, Jets fans rejoiced as their beloved defensive end had returned. With newly drafted Leonard Williams and former Rookie of the Year Sheldon Richardson set on the defensive line, this looked to be the Sack Exchange 2.0. (For those of you too young to remember, this is a reference to the impressive quartet of Mark Gastineau, Joe Klecko, Marty Lyons and Adbul Salaam, who played defensive line for the Jets in the early 1980s.)  But the group never lived up to this hype. Only Williams seems likely to reach his potential for the Jets. In addition to Wilkerson’s struggles, Richardson was shipped off to Seattle at the beginning of the season. Wilkerson’s season has reached such a low point that head coach Todd Bowles actually had to bench him. This is a result of both his lackluster performance and his repeated latenesses to team meetings.

It’s unfortunate to watch one of my all-time favorites collapse in front of my very eyes. When he showed up, Mo was one of the best on the field at his position. But his selfish demeanor will force the Jets to move on. Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan preach positive character development and a healthy locker room presence, and Wilkerson no longer has either. He’s a detriment to a future contender of a football team and can no longer be respected for his recent attitude toward the organization. Mo should be released and left for other teams to take a chance that he will turn around his attitude and reach his full potential. But cutting ties before the third day of the offseason will save the Jets considerable money toward the salary cap. It’s a shame that such a great talent will likely never be a lifelong New York Jet.