A trade candidate during the offseason, Avery Williamson saw his place with the Jets became more secure after C.J. Mosley‘s opt-out decision. And he now looks like he’s staying in New York for the 2020 season.
The veteran linebacker agreed to restructure his contract Monday. Williamson is now set to make $3.5MM this season, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The Jets guaranteed Williamson $1MM, and this adjustment can earn the ex-Titans starter up to $5MM.
Williamson cutting his 2020 pay down from $6.5MM creates $3.75MM in cap space for the Jets, who already held more than $30MM in space going into Monday.
This is the third year of the three-year deal Williamson signed in 2018. At signing, that contract was worth $22.5MM. Williamson, 28, is the most experienced member of Gang Green’s linebacking corps, which now includes former Ravens starter Patrick Onwuasor.
Williamson is attempting to return from the ACL tear that shelved him for all of the 2019 season. While the Jets shopped him this offseason, Williamson led the 2018 team in tackles with a career-high 120.