When speaking to the media at the NFL Combine, Jets general manager Joe Douglas confirmed a decision many felt was inevitable. The team will pick up the fifth-year option on Quinnen Williams‘ contract (video link).
“We are going to pick up pick up Quinnen’s option,” Douglas said. “We had that conversation. I don’t think that’s really huge news… We’re excited to have Quinnen. This is going to be year two in a defense that we feel really accentuates his strengths… We’re looking forward for him to come back and dominate this offseason.”
It was reported late in the 2021 regular season that the Jets weren’t in a hurry to give the 24-year-old an extension when he first became eligible. That left the door open to the team letting him play out the last two years of his rookie deal, which would keep him in New York through at least the 2023 campaign. Franchise tags could extend that by two more years, of course, though a new deal would presumably be in place by then.
The third-overall pick in 2019, Williams’ production this past year was closer to his second, most effective one than his rookie campaign. In 15 games, he compiled 53 tackles, including seven for a loss, along with six sacks and three pass deflections. Over the past two seasons, his 13 total sacks rank second in the league amongst interior linemen, demonstrating the disruptive presence he was touted to be coming out of college.
With Williams in place for at least another two years, the Jets can move forward this offseason looking to build around him in an attempt to upgrade the league’s worst statistical defense from last season.
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