Remember when Quinnen Williams scrubbed the New York Jets from his social media profiles and even went as far as to write “defensive tackle for…” purposefully leaving it open-ended? Check it now, because the Jets are back.

Shortly before it was announced that Quinnen Williams signed a four year extension with Jets for $96 million and $66 million guaranteed, he restored the Jets name to his online profiles. All is well between the Jets and their all-pro defensive tackle again.

Publicly, Jets brass remained optimistic throughout the negotiations, vowing to get it done. Even when things looked bad and the two sides went at least a month in April/May without talking, a source said. 

On June 6, coach Robert Saleh said "it's going to get done. He'll be here for camp, he'll be ready to roll and once he is, I'm sure he'll be the same guy he was a year ago."

It must have been a frustrating few months for Williams who watched Dexter Lawrence of the New York Giants, Jeffery Simmons of the Tennessee Titans and Daron Payne of the Washington Commanders sign big multi year extensions.

Quinnen even watched as his brother Quincy signed an extension with the Jets to play linebacker.

The extension makes Williams the NFL's second highest paid defensive tackle, based on average annual value. Williams had stated at the end of last season that he didn’t care about being the highest paid defensive tackle but wanted to be paid what he is worth.

At $24 million per season, he surpasses the Titans' Jeffery Simmons who recently signed for $23.5 million for the No. 2 spot, behind only Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald who is making $31.7 million a year.

Quinnen certainly earned his extension in his second year in the Robert Saleh defense. Williams ranked fourth out of 127 defensive linemen in 2022. He had a ProFootball Focus grade of 90.1.

From the Jets side, this is a gigantic win. Not only do they keep one of the best young defensive players in the league with the team, but it ceases to be a distraction as Hard Knocks comes to town.

It’s been a rare occurrence for the Jets to re-sign one of their top draft picks in recent years. The last first round pick to get an extension was Muhammad Wilkerson and he was picked in 2011. Of the 55 draft picks from 2012 to 2018, only two received multiyear extensions: wide receiver Quincy Enunwa and guard Brian Winters.

Frankly, this is a win Joe Douglas needed. For as trade savvy as he has been since taking over the team, he has yet to extend a Jets draft pick. The assets he acquired in deals mean nothing if he can’t use them to get the right players.

Quinnen is one of the main cogs in the machine that makes the Jets defense the dominant force it was in 2022. Getting him back in the middle of that defense will help get Aaron Rodgers and the offense back on the field where they expect to score a lot more points than they have in years past.

Things are really starting to turn in a different direction for the New York Jets. And considering they have not made the playoffs in 12 years, that can only be a good thing.

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