The Jets have taken care of some internal business days before free agency officially opens. New York has agreed to terms on a three-year, $18M deal with linebacker Quincy Williams (Twitter link via Tom Pelissero of NFL Network).
Pelissero adds that the deal has a maximum value of $21M. SNY’s Connor Hughes tweets that the pact also includes $9M guaranteed at signing.
It allows the Jets to retain the 26-year-old without him being able to test the open market. Williams’ rookie contract was set to expire on Wednesday, but his stay in New York will now continue after his arrival with the team two years ago.
Williams was drafted by the Jaguars in 2019, but his tenure in Duval County was short lived. The former third-rounder logged a starter’s workload as a rookie, but saw his defensive playing time drop considerably in his second season.
He was waived on roster cutdown day in 2021, and claimed by the Jets in a move which reunited him with his brother, 2019 third overall pick Quinnen Williams.
That also helped the Jets shore up the middle of their defense, and give them a productive linebacker to pair with C.J. Mosley. Williams has logged 1,672 snaps in New York, a major step up in usage compared to his Jaguars tenure.
His has responded by notching 100-plus tackles in each of his Jets seasons, adding a total five sacks during that span. As such, a new deal keeping him in the fold was a priority for the team, and this pact accomplishes one of several goals they have this offseason.
Another of those — aside from a franchise-altering quarterback acquisition, of course — is a new deal for the younger Williams brother. Quinnen is due for a substantial pay raise given his production, and the effect on the DT market likely to be seen from Sunday’s massive deal given by the Commanders to Daron Payne.
The Jets are optimistic that an extension with Williams could be in the cards soon, which would secure the financial future of another major member of their defense. Regardless of what happens on that front, the elder Williams will be able to continue his stay with his second NFL team for the intermediate future.
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