Quinnen Williams ready to wreak havoc as part of Jets' growth spurt
New York Jets' Quinnen Williams on Dec. 12, 2021. Credit: AP/Matt Rourke
Quinnen Williams is one of the Jets’ longest-tenured players, which means he’s experienced a lot of losing. He believes that will change this season.
“It motivates me a lot,” Williams said. “I feel like this year we got everything we need to be the team that we want to be and to be the team that New York wants us to be. We got to be consistent and put it all on tape and put it all on the field.”
Williams is only 24, but he’s already entering his fourth season with the Jets. The defensive tackle is one of the few players remaining that former general manager Mike Maccagnan drafted.
The Jets have gone 13-36 since Williams was taken with the No. 3 overall pick in 2019, but they are expected to be more competitive this season — at the very least. The Jets have improved throughout the roster and believe Williams will become a force.
“He can be a very dominant football player,” coach Robert Saleh said, “and I’m not talking dominant from a statistical standpoint. I just think he can be a very disruptive football player. He’s fully healthy. He’s in tremendous shape. He’s got the right mindset.”
Williams missed OTAs and part of training camp last year after breaking his foot. He is completely healthy, comfortable playing in Year 2 of Saleh’s system and has more help around him than past years.
Edge rusher Carl Lawson is healthy after missing last season with a ruptured Achilles. That’s a huge addition to the front four. The defensive line also added rookie Jermaine Johnson and veterans Jacob Martin and Solomon Thomas.
Since teams can’t double Williams as much, he could be headed for a career year.
“The objective is to try to find a way to get all four of those guys in one-on-ones in a third-down situation where everyone knows it’s pass and you just know one of them are going to win,” Saleh said. “When they can’t focus on Quinnen completely because they do have to worry about others, it absolutely helps.”
Williams is eligible for a contract extension and the Jets want him with them long term. He praised the organization and coaches but hasn’t worried too much about his future. Williams’ main concern is doing everything he can to help the Jets win this year.
He hasn’t put up the big numbers you would expect from a No. 3 pick — he has 136 total tackles and 15.5 sacks in 41 career games. Williams spent part of his offseason watching video and studying elite linemen and pass rushers. He’s confident he can become one of the top interior linemen in the league.
“I definitely have big goals for myself,” he said. “I feel like I’m taking a step to getting where I want to be in this league, especially being an NFL football player and leaving my legacy. I’m not where I want to be. I’m still learning, I’m still growing as an athlete, still trying to do what I need to do.
“But I feel like I have gained some type of confidence especially year after year being in this scheme, being in this organization, being in the NFL, getting experience and in the offseason learning from different guys like Von Miller, and Fletcher Cox, Aaron Donald and Chris Jones and stuff like that that I learn to get better and better each and every year. I definitely feel like I’m going to where I want to get to.”
Roster moves: The Jets signed running back Zonovan Knight, receiver/returner Diontae Spencer and tackle Eric Smith to the practice squad. They also released receiver Calvin Jackson and linebacker DQ Thomas from the practice squad.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
