When the 2021 season concludes, Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will have three years of service time under his belt, thereby making him eligible for an extension. Despite how good Williams has been, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com expects the team to wait until 2023 to seriously consider a new contract for the budding star.

After all, the Alabama product will earn $10.6MM in 2022, the final year of his rookie contract. The Jets can keep him under club control through 2023 via the fifth-year option to his rookie deal, and at present, that option is worth $10.9MM. That number would jump to $16MM if Williams earns a Pro Bowl nod this year, but even if that happens, a two-year commitment for a total of $26.6MM is quite reasonable for a player of Williams’ caliber.

Plus, the franchise tag value for DTs is usually not too exorbitant, so if New York elects to tag Williams for the 2024 campaign, it will have secured his services from 2022-24 for no more than $45MM. Considering Williams would probably land a $20MM+ AAV contract if he were to hit the open market today, it’s easy to see why the Jets would be willing to wait on a bank-breaking extension, at least until the cap spikes again in 2023.

On the other hand, the club has developed a reputation of not rewarding its best players, so GM Joe Douglas could be tempted to reverse that trend with a player who not only looks like the anchor of the front seven for years to come, but who also is the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Taking a proactive approach certainly couldn’t hurt team morale and the outside perception of how the front office treats its top performers.

Pro Football Focus pegs Williams as a good defender this year, but not an elite one; his 65.3 overall score positions him as the 43rd-best interior defender out of 126 qualifiers. But this appears to be an instance where the advanced metrics do not quite mesh with the on-field production, as Williams has certainly been as much of a force as most of his top peers this season.

The fact that he excels as a pass rusher will only enhance his value. His 13 sacks over the past two seasons is second only to Aaron Donald‘s 16 among interior linemen.

Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams broke a small bone in his foot (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero). Williams should be fine for the start of the season, but his surgery will require 8-10 weeks of recovery. 

Williams won’t be present for OTAs or minicamp, but the expectation is that he’ll be good to go for training camp. Williams, who wants to be a “Jet for life,” is looking to build off of an impressive 2020 campaign. In 13 games (all starts), the former No. 3 overall pick notched 55 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. Unfortunately, his season ended on injured reserve with a neck injury.

In years past, Williams has heard his name floated in trade rumors. But, even in the midst of a rough year for Gang Green, they rebuffed all midseason inquiries. At this point, Williams is optimistic that he’ll be staying for the long haul.

Armed with the second-overall pick and a new head coach, the Jets will surely see some major changes next season. However, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is hoping to stick around for the makeover. During an appearance on CBS Sports Radio, Williams stated his desire to stay in New York for the long haul.

“Yeah, I’d be disappointed,” Williams said when asked about the possibility of a trade (via Josh Alper of ProFootballTalk.com). “I really want to be a Jet for life. I like New York and I want to play in New York. I’d be disappointed if they traded me and didn’t tell me.”

The 23-year-old was the third-overall pick only two years ago, and following a disappointing rookie campaign, he showed much more of his promise in 2020. Williams started each of his 13 games this past year, compiling 55 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. His season ended on the injured reserve with a neck injury.

Following that underwhelming rookie campaign, there were rumblings that Williams could be on the trade block. Reports at the time indicated that the Jets would want more than a second-round pick for the young defensive lineman, while others believed the organization was merely listening to offers (as opposed to actively shopping him). Those rumors could obviously be troublesome for a young player, but Williams admitted that he’s only focused on what he can control.