It's time for the Jets to pay Quinnen Williams
Going into the off-season, the Jets had two items on their checklist that they simply had to take care of no matter what. The first was to upgrade the QB spot. The second was to sign the best defensive player they drafted since Darrelle Revis to an extension before things got contentious. That first one […]
Going into the off-season, the Jets had two items on their checklist that they simply had to take care of no matter what. The first was to upgrade the QB spot. The second was to sign the best defensive player they drafted since Darrelle Revis to an extension before things got contentious.
That first one is a big check done: Aaron Rodgers
The second? Still waiting. And apparently, Quinnen Williams is growing frustrated with waiting, as well.
As is the way most players of this generation let their feelings be known, Williams spoke through his social media page by changing his twitter profile:
As you can see, the words “New York” and “Jets” are blatantly missing from his page. Williams scrubbed his profile clean of the team that took him third overall in the 2019 draft. The ominous “Defensive Tackle for …………” is a clear threat to the Jets front office that he is prepared to leave if he doesn’t get an extension and get it soon.
He deserves an extension. Apart from him having a career year last year, he is a perfect fit for Robert Saleh’s defense. Last season Williams was first team All-Pro with 12 sacks, two forced fumbles and 55 tackles while missing only one game.
The disruption he causes up the middle allows the plethora of Jets edge rushers to get to the QB and allows guys like DJ Reed and Sauce Gardner to play more aggressively on the outside. Williams is a presence in the run game and can rush the passer from the middle.
Most of the leg work is already done for a deal. With defensive tackles like Daron Payne, Dexter Lawrence and Jeffery Simmons signing new deals this year, the value of Williams’ deal is laid out for both sides. It’s just a matter of the framework.
After the 2022 season came to an end, Williams warned the team and fans that he would skip off season workouts without a new deal and so far, he has kept his word. On the plus side, Williams made it clear that he doesn’t need to be the highest paid DT in the league, but as he said “I want to be compensated for what I am.”
"Everybody knows I'm a team guy, man," Williams told reporters. "But I do want to get a contract done before the offseason program. I do feel like I deserve to get a contract done before the offseason program just because I did everything right on the field and everything right off the field. Having the organization behind me just like I'm behind them to show that they really support me is a major thing for me."
It's time for Joe Douglas to show Williams that the organization is behind him. If Williams hasn’t earned a big-time contract for the Jets, who has?
For his part, Douglas stated that the Jets are “optimistic and hopeful” to get a deal done with Williams back in April, which was something Williams also responded to on Twitter:
The Jets need to get this drama over with and get it taken care of soon. After missing on so many players year after year in the draft, Williams could be the face of the new regime of home-grown talent that stay with the Jets and aren’t part of another rebuild.
Williams wants to be in New York (his brother just re-signed with the Jets for two years), the Jets want him, the fans want him. It’s time to get a deal done.
