The New York Jets have been busy shaping their roster during the NFL off-season. The acquisition of Aaron Rodgers was the most talked-about move and has made the Jets a must-see product, and they’ve become one of the favorites to win the AFC come seasons end.
But now that they have the deal done for the former MVP quarterback, their focus can begin to shift to the rest of the roster.
New York Jets, Quinnen Williams May Be Nearing An Agreement
Report: #Jets and All-Pro DT Quinnen Williams aren’t “Far Apart” in contract negotiations, per @rydunleavy and @BrianCozhttps://t.co/fol89Eks09
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) May 29, 2023
Despite missing the playoffs in 2022, the Jets had one of the youngest and most talented teams in the league. They were alive and well in the playoff picture during the first part of the season, but collapsed in the second half. One of the strong points of the team currently and for the future is the up-and-coming defense, which is full of high draft picks with star potential.
One of those guys is defensive lineman Quinnen Williams. The Alabama product has been excellent in his first four seasons, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod this past year. His 12 sacks even earned him a spot as a First Team All-Pro.
And now he wants to be paid. Williams is eligible for a contract extension, as he is entering the final season of his rookie deal. There are other similar-aged defensive linemen who have received hefty contracts recently. Jeffery Simmons signed a $94 millon deal with the Titans, and the Giants gave Dexter Lawrence $87 million for 4 years.
Quinnen Williams extension with #Jets SHOULD be easy. That’s the value of recent comps. So, why the slow progress What could be the holdups@corryjoel on years, money and possible solutions for both sides. With @BrianCoz https://t.co/Pb2tOnEiJz #nyjets
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) May 28, 2023
Quinnen Williams feels like he is worth that amount of money, and potentially more. And according to recent reports, the two sides “aren’t far apart” when it comes to getting a deal done.
This contradicts reports from earlier in the month, as well as Williams’ actions on social media. In early May, ESPN’s Rich Cimini had said that the two sides were not in fact close in money talks. This notion seemed to be doubled down on when Williams deleted the name “New York Jets” from his Twitter bio.
It was likely all a power play. It is in the Jets best interest to keep their current core together, and they’ll likely do whatever they can to make it work. Williams has been absent during the team’s off-season training program, but he’ll be ready to go when training camp rolls around if the two sides are able to come to an agreement by then.