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FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson suffered the first serious injury of his career at the worst possible time. Wilkerson, playing his last game before hitting free agency, suffered a broken fibula in the third quarter of Sunday's 22-17 loss to the Bills. The Pro Bowler, who had 12 sacks this season, was injured when a pair of players fell on his bent right leg during a 3-yard gain by running back Anthony Dixon with 6:43 remaining.
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Head coach Todd Bowles did not provide a timetable for Wilkerson on Monday but acknowledged he'd undergo surgery soon. It is likely he'd miss at least some of the offseason program, though which team is operating that program is uncertain.
Wilkerson made just under $7 million this season while playing out the team option in his rookie contract. Discussions on a long-term contract never really got untracked and are unlikely to be initiated now that Wilkerson will be coming back from injury. The Jets could franchise Wilkerson, which would ensure him a 2016 salary worth at least the average of the five highest-paid defensive ends.
--The loss Sunday locked the Jets into the 20th pick in the draft. If they don't trade up or down, it'll mark the first time the Jets have had the 20th pick since 1972, when linebacker Michael Taylor was selected out of Michigan.
The Jets picked 16th, ninth, 18th and sixth in the previous four drafts. They selected 30th in 2011 and 29th in 2010, when they were coming off trips to the AFC Championship Game.
NOTES: Running back Chris Ivory won the AFC rushing title Sunday, when he gained 81 yards in the Jets' 22-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Ivory struggled down the stretch - he had just 156 yards in the final three games - but finished the season with 1,070 yards, four yards ahead of Oakland Raiders RB Latavius Murray. Ivory, who ranked fifth overall in the NFL in rushing, is the first Jets' running back to lead the conference in rushing since Thomas Jones, who racked up 1,312 yards in 2008. ... Running back Bilal Powell (ankle) missed the Jets' 22-17 loss to the Bills on Sunday. Powell played just 11 games this season due to the ankle injury but finished with 701 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns. ... Receiver Brandon Marshall broke or tied a handful of team records Sunday, when he caught eight passes for 126 yards and one touchdown in the Jets' 22-17 loss to the Bills. The 100-yard game was the record-breaking 10th of the season for Marshall, who finished the season with a team-record 1,502 yards. WR Don Maynard held the previous records in both categories with nine 100-yard games and 1,434 receiving yards. The touchdown catch was the 14th for Marshall, tying him with Maynard and WR Art Powell for the most in a single season in franchise history. Marshall finished with 109 catches, which shattered the previous best of 93 set by Al Toon in 1988.
