Jets Could Surprisingly Cut Ties With All-Pro Veteran

Could the New York Jets surprisingly trade one of their best veterans before training camp?

ClutchPoints’ Mike Gianakos recently suggested the possibility.

“If Glenn’s mission is to build culture with the Jets, it would seem ill-advised to move on from Quincy Williams,” Gianakos wrote.

“The former first-team All-Pro is the kind of player you would want as the foundation of your culture rebuild. … While (Aaron) Glenn’s youth movement is the right course for a franchise that’s far from championship caliber, the Jets still need veteran leaders. Williams provides that presence for the team, and that’s saying nothing of his actual on-field value. The seventh-year pro is one of the very best linebackers in football when at his best … In a perfect world, Quincy would stay in New York with his younger brother Quinnen. However, he’s entering the final season of a three-year, $18 million contract he signed with the team in 2023.”

Gianakos pointed out that the Jets are putting aside massive amounts of dough to extend Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, and they’ve already extended Jamien Sherwood (three years, $45 million). “The Jets also have big decisions to make on right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and running back Breece Hall, who are both entering the final year of their rookie deals,” Gianakos continued.

“If the Jets decide there isn’t enough to go around or that they don’t want to invest that heavily in the position, Williams would make for a sneaky trade heading into training camp. He could immediately improve a contender’s linebacker room and return valuable draft capital to the Jets.”

Williams, 28, has tallied 530 tackles, nine sacks, 10 forced fumbles, and 21 pass deflections in his career so far. The No. 98 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft out of Murray State, Williams began his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars..

The Jets claimed Williams off waivers on September 1, 2021, the day after he was cut by Jacksonville. As alluded to by Gianakos, Williams was a first-team All-Pro in 2023.