Quinnen Williams

Jaguars Pursued Quinnen Williams; Sauce Gardner Deal Accelerated Jets’ Willingness To Move On

November 5th, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Mason Graham-to-Jacksonville was a mock-draft staple for a while, but the Jaguars moved in a different direction by trading up for Travis Hunter. Their defensive tackle need went on the back-burner, but we heard before the deadline the team had circled back to it.

The Cowboys completed the trade deadline’s second-biggest deal by sending a 2026 second-round pick, a conditional 2027 first-rounder and defensive tackle Mazi Smith to the Jets for Quinnen Williams. This blockbuster, however, came after the Jaguars made what veteran insider Jordan Schultz describes as a “strong push” for the disgruntled Jet. In the end, the Cowboys made the better offer, dangling one of their four first-round picks from 2026-27 to seal the deal.

Williams came up in Cowboys-Jets Micah Parsons talks, and Dallas circled back to its target — as an enduring goal to repair its run defense now involves a second megadeal. Several teams pursued Williams, Schultz adds, and the Jets determined the offer of first- and second-rounders plus Smith was enough to move on from a player who wanted out.

A big market checks out for a player of Williams’ caliber, and we heard late last month the Jets were listening on their longtime front-seven centerpiece. The three-time Pro Bowler denied his relationship with Aaron Glenn was broken, as a Tuesday report noted the D-tackle’s one-on-one meeting with his new HC launched his quest to be traded.

While Williams confirmed he was frustrated with the Jets’ losing ways, he said (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer) respects Glenn’s approach this year. Perhaps being diplomatic now that a trade has been completed, Williams will now see his reported pursuit of a contract rework fall in the Cowboys’ hands. His four-year, $96MM deal — which has just $5MM in guarantees left beyond 2025 — runs through 2027.

Although the Jets were not intent on trading Williams and Sauce Gardner, they decided on the latter move after the Colts bet big on the cornerback. Indianapolis sending New York two first-round picks and wideout Adonai Mitchell for Gardner made the Jets’ decision to moving Williams earlier, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

New York made the deal with Indianapolis barely an hour before the Williams swap. Prior to that, the Colts pursued Alontae Taylor in what would have been a much lower-profile trade. It would have been interesting to see if the Jets would have followed through on the Williams trade had Indy not stepped up on Gardner. The Jets will have plenty of work to do on defense, having gutted a unit that ranked in the top five in yards allowed from 2022-24. Though, Glenn’s first year has produced a 20th-place ranking in total defense through eight games.

The Jaguars are among the NFL’s best run defenses, ranking third in that area. Williams, Pro Football Focus’ No. 1-ranked interior D-lineman in run stoppage, would have provided the fringe contender a significant boost in this department. The Jags have 2024 free agency addition Arik Armstead and DaVon Hamilton in place as starting DTs, while Austin Johnson, former second-round pick Maason Smith and Khalen Saunders are in place behind them.

Armstead leads the Jags with 3.5 sacks, though he is not quite on Williams’ level as a 32-year-old defender. Williams made the past three Pro Bowls and notched 23.5 sacks in that span. However, he only posted one sack and three QB hits this season. The Jags also have not seen any of their DTs besides Armstead record a sack this season. They will attempt to keep getting by as is, though Armstead’s age and the Williams interest points to the franchise making moves to bolster this area in 2026.

Jets Trade Quinnen Williams To Cowboys

November 4th, 2025 at 10:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets are adding a third first-round pick in barely an hour. Rumblings of the team being more open to trading Quinnen Williams have indeed preceded a deal, as the Cowboys will acquire the standout defensive tackle.

A first-rounder “and more” is headed to the Jets in exchange for Williams, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This deal comes shortly after the Jets sent Sauce Gardner to the Colts for two first-round picks. Here is how the now-official trade breaks down, via The Athletic’s Dianna Russini and ESPN’s Adam Schefter:

Cowboys receive:

Williams

Jets receive:

2026 second-round pick
Higher of Cowboys’ two 2027 first-round picks
DT Mazi Smith

The Cowboys, of course, had some ammo to play with after acquiring two first-rounders for Micah Parsons this summer. The Cowboys and Jets had discussed Williams — as Dallas shopped for D-tackles — as part of a Parsons trade. After the team ended up making the Parsons trade with Green Bay, Dallas is loaded at defensive tackle now. They obtained Kenny Clark in that trade and having re-signed Osa Odighizuwa just before free agency. SNY’s Connor Hughes had indicated the Jets were believed to be softening their stance on keeping Williams, noting the price also may have dropped. The team still pried first- and second-rounders from Dallas, doing so after it seemed weeks ago Williams was off the table.

For a team sitting 3-5-1 — after a two-score loss to the Cardinals — it is borderline astounding to see the Cowboys give up future first- and second-round picks here. But Jerry Jones hinted at the Parsons trade giving the Cowboys options to trade picks for players. Weeks later, that has come to fruition.

Jones hinted at a trade being agreed to Monday, but the Cowboys acquired Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson on Tuesday morning. This Williams addition is a much bigger splash. The Cowboys’ defense has crumbled in Matt Eberflus‘ first year in charge, with Parsons’ exit being felt immediately. The Cowboys have been unable to stop opponents from passing or running, ranking 31st in points and yards allowed. The Cardinals continued that trend Monday night, and Jones is responding — as a way to help a high-powered offense stay in the playoff race.

Dallas’ defense has struggled despite Jones remarking the Parsons trade would help the team improve against the run. Williams will certainly help there, but this is now a third high-priced D-tackle contract hitting Dallas’ payroll. The team re-signed Odighizuwa to a four-year, $80MM deal in March. The Cowboys then obtained Clark’s three-year, $64MM extension from the Packers. Williams is tied to a four-year, $96MM accord that runs through 2027.

The Jets extended Williams in summer 2023, a transformative offseason on the D-tackle market, and had seen him earn three straight Pro Bowl nods. In the year prior to the extension, Williams became a first-team All-Pro. The former No. 3 overall pick — selected during Mike Maccagnan‘s fifth and final draft as Jets GM — tallied 12 sacks in 2022, helping Robert Saleh‘s defense rocket from last place in 2021 to fourth in ’22. Williams combined for 11.5 sacks from 2023-24. Thus far this season, he has one to go with seven tackles for loss and three QB hits. Williams has 40 career sacks, recording at least 5.5 each year from 2020-24, to go with 59 TFLs.

Circling back to the Cowboys’ porous run defense, Jones is adding the player Pro Football Focus ranks first among all D-tackles in run stoppage. ESPN’s run stop win rate metric ranks Williams second, while slotting him 17th in pass rush win rate among DTs. Dallas now has the top two players in run stop win rate at DT, with Solomon Thomas ranking first. Though, Thomas’ placement has not moved the needle for a woeful Cowboys defense.

While this trade has proven costly, the Cowboys are landing an accomplished player who will not turn 28 until December. Williams should have a number of prime years left, and they are now slated to come in Dallas.

Smith did not work out in Dallas, finishing his tenure as a healthy scratch Monday night. Like Adonai Mitchell in the Gardner deal, Smith is more of a throw-in for a Jets regime intent on collecting draft capital to bring in its own pillars — after ditching Joe Douglas‘ on defense. Weight issues plagued Smith, who has become the rare modern Cowboys first-rounder to struggle.

The 2023 draftee is signed through the 2026 season. Smith is just 24, and he made 17 starts last season. PFF ranked Williams as the NFL’s second-worst D-tackle regular in 2024. He will not compare to Williams, but the Cowboys added the Michigan product to be a run-stuffing presence. Aaron Glenn and Steve Wilks will now begin grooming him in their scheme.

While the Cowboys are adding a proven piece, the Jets continue to tear down a defense that was viewed as one of the league’s best in recent years. Although the unit did not perform as well in 2024 following the Saleh firing, it ranked fourth in total defense in 2022, third in ’23 and third in ’24. Zach Wilson‘s struggles contributed to the team placing 12th in scoring defense in 2023, and Jeff Ulbrich‘s interim HC season closed at 20th in points allowed. But the Jets were one of the toughest teams to move the ball against during the Gardner-Williams years.

It can be argued the Jets will have a difficult time finding replacements for Gardner and Williams, even if the ones added may well be rookie-contract pieces for a while. Gardner earned two first-team All-Pro nods in three full Jets seasons; he is in his age-25 season. The team has now traded Williams and John Franklin-Myers in consecutive years, and Jermaine Johnson could be on the move — for a second-round pick — today as well. Needless to say, the Jets will have a difficult time stopping opponents through season’s end. But their plan is now draft-centric.

The 2000 Jets are the only team to make four first-round picks in the same draft, though Douglas made five combined first-round selections from 2021-22. Of that quintet, only Garrett Wilson appears a safe bet to be with the team in 2026. The Jets traded Wilson last year and have Alijah Vera-Tucker in a contract year. From the 2022 draft, Gardner is gone and Johnson could be following him out the door.

Glenn and GM Darren Mougey will have a chance to add their own foundational pieces beginning next year, as this Jets team is headed toward a top-five pick. The Colts are supplying them with a second first-rounder next year, and the Jets will have three 2027 first-rounders — barring a trade — as well. It will be interesting to see how the team begins its recovery effort, as the Jets were previously viewed as featuring a well-built defense.

Of Williams’ 2026 salary ($21.75MM), $5MM is guaranteed. The Jets are taking on dead money hits of $13.2MM in 2025 and $9.8MM in ’26, according to Spotrac. This is actually more dead cap than the Gardner trade is bringing ($19.75MM) due to contract structure.

Dallas entered the day behind only the Patriots in cap space. Even with Smith’s fully guaranteed contract in the deal, the Cowboys will use a chunk of it on Williams, who is owed roughly $8MM through season’s end. The Cowboys are loaded up with DT salaries, with Clark under contract through 2027 and Odighizuwa through 2028. Williams’ 2027 base salary is nonguaranteed, while Clark is due an $11MM roster bonus on Day 3 of the 2026 league year. Odighizuwa’s 2026 salary is fully guaranteed.

Quinnen Williams Made Multiple Trade Requests In Final Jets Stretch

November 4th, 2025 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets cleaned house Tuesday. While several of the team’s trade chips are still on the roster, the club cashed out on Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams on deadline day.

Gardner is now a Colt, while the Cowboys paid up to pry Williams from the Jets. As it turned out, the Pro Bowl defensive tackle wanted out. Williams had made three separate trade requests to the Jets, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes. They met the last one, dealing him to Dallas in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 first and former first-round D-tackle Mazi Smith.

Aaron Glenn was critical of Williams in their head-to-head meeting upon the former Lions DC taking the HC job, with Hughes noting the relationship began to spiral at that point. Williams also was not onboard with the Jets’ quarterback plan, commenting on X that it would be “another rebuilding year” for him after the team cut Aaron Rodgers this offseason. Glenn addressed that disapproval with Williams months ago, and while the standout D-tackle called his tweet immature, Hughes notes the Rodgers release did mark a key point on the Williams-Jets timeline.

The Jets have struggled with Justin Fields at the helm, benching him in Week 7 and then seemingly being prepared to start Tyrod Taylor in Week 8 before the backup was deemed unable to play due to injury. A 2019 draftee, Williams has not been part of an eight-win team yet as a Jet. He will head to a Cowboys team that has been far more successful in recent years, albeit one synonymous with postseason failure.

Williams’ trade asks stemmed from unhappiness with the Jets’ direction, per The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. He is certainly not the first veteran to gripe about being part of a rebuild, and the Jets’ 0-7 start pointed them in that direction ahead of the trade deadline. Breece Hall made a trade request following the Williams and Gardner deals, but the Jets held onto their starting running back.

As Williams’ frustration with the situation spread around the NFL, Rosenblatt adds the Jets were still informing teams they were not trading him. The Jets discussed him with the Cowboys as part of a potential Micah Parsons trade, but no deal happened then. Hughes previously noted the team’s stance softened here, and the Jets began listening on deadline deals involving their top D-lineman recently. Receiving first- and second-round picks became enough to sever ties. He now joins Kenny Clark and Osa Odighizuwa in a Dallas DT corps including three $20MM-per-year contracts.

The Jets gave Williams a four-year, $96MM extension in July 2023. At the time, the former No. 3 overall pick’s $47.86MM fully guaranteed topped the market at DT. Chris Jones, Nnamdi Madubuike and Milton Williams now top that, and Christian Wilkins had done so before his messy Raiders divorce. Williams had also pushed for a rework, according to Hughes, that would have added guaranteed money to his deal.

Only $5MM guaranteed remains on the Alabama alum’s contract post-2025, but with Williams under contract through 2027 and the Jets changing regimes, nothing happened on this front. Williams, 27, had then made it known he had no intention to sign another Jets extension. Mike Maccagnan drafted Williams, and Joe Douglas extended him. After Darren Mougey traded him, the Cowboys will be the ones in charge of a potential rework now.

Jets Willing To Listen To Offers For Quinnen Williams

October 29th, 2025 at 6:05pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets have already dealt one veteran defender, and the team may not be done. According to Jordan Schultz, the Jets are willing to listen to offers on star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

The former third-overall pick is arguably the Jets best player and is signed through the 2027 campaign, so the front office is naturally resistant to potential deals. However, Schultz notes that there’s a league-wide need for interior defensive line help, and considering the aggressiveness of some GMs around the NFL, “the idea of a team blowing away the Jets with an offer is at least feasible.”

Williams truly established himself as one of the league’s best defensive tackles in 2022, when he collected 12 sacks en route to a first-team All-Pro nod. The Jets were quick to reward the player for his performance, as the DT inked a four-year, $96MM extension the following offseason.

While the Jets disappointed in both 2023 and 2024, Williams was one of the team’s few bright spots. He added another 11.5 sacks to his resume between those two campaigns, with Pro Football Focus grading him as the third-best interior defender in 2023 before placing him 30th in 2024. The site is once again bullish on his talents in 2025, ranking him eighth among 128 qualifiers. In eight starts this season, the 27-year-old has collected one sack, seven tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles.

The team doesn’t have much of a backup plan for their star player. The team acquired veteran Harrison Phillips back in August, but the 29-year-old appears to be a temporary stopgap. The team is otherwise rostering Jay Tufele, Jowon Briggs, and Byron Cowart, who will miss the entire 2025 campaign with an ankle injury.

We heard previously that Williams was drawing interest, with the expectation being that it would require a haul to acquire the defensive tackle. The Cowboys reportedly discussed a Micah Parsons package that involved Williams before they shipped the defensive star to Green Bay.

Jets DL Quinnen Williams Drawing Interest

October 25th, 2025 at 11:11am CST by Connor Byrne

OCT. 25: The Jets aren’t “actively shopping” or “entertaining moving” Williams, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. It would take a massive offer for the Jets to change their minds.

OCT. 23: With the Nov. 4 trade deadline nearing, a host of Jets have drawn interest from around the NFL. Add defensive tackle Quinnen Williams to the list, according to Connor Hughes of SNY. Teams have been inquiring about Williams’ availability, Hughes reports.

Although the Jets are off to a league-worst 0-7 start, first-year general manager Darren Mougey isn’t going to conduct a fire sale or trade anyone for “pennies,” per Hughes. As one of the Jets’ best players, Williams would surely command a significant haul. The Cowboys would have wanted Williams in a potential Micah Parsons trade with the Jets, but Mougey wouldn’t bite on that.

Now 27 years old, Williams joined the Jets as the third overall pick in the 2019 draft. The former Alabama star has continued to hold his own in the pros, where he has racked up 40 sacks and three Pro Bowl nods. Former GM Joe Douglas awarded Williams a four-year, $96MM extension in July 2023, meaning the Jets aren’t in danger of losing him in the immediate future. He’s on the team’s books through 2027.

Williams has just one sack in seven games this year, but he has still been one of the Jets’ few bright spots. The 303-pounder has already forced three fumbles, and he ranks second among defensive tackles in run stop win rate and 20th in pass rush win rate. Pro Football Focus ranks his overall performance eighth among 124 qualifying D-tackles.

Barring an unexpected trade request from Williams, who has yet to make the playoffs in the NFL, it’s hard to believe the Jets will move him over the next week and a half. Edge rusher Jermaine Johnson is a more realistic trade candidate, but it doesn’t appear he’s going anywhere. Johnson told Rich Cimini of ESPN.com that he “received” clarity on his status from the front office on Thursday.

“I’m definitely wanted here, and I want to stay here,” Johnson said.

After earning a Pro Bowl trip in 2023, Johnson missed all but two games last season as a result of a torn Achilles. That didn’t stop the Jets from picking up the former first-round pick’s fifth-year option for 2026. Johnson has missed another three games this season with an ankle injury. In the four games he has played, Johnson has collected 16 tackles and a sack. He’s set to earn $13.41MM next year, and based on what Johnson said Thursday, it seems the Jets plan to keep him beyond the deadline.

Cowboys, Jets Discussed Micah Parsons Trade Involving Quinnen Williams

September 14th, 2025 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the aftermath of the Micah Parsons trade, a number of details have emerged with respect to other potential partners for a swap. Discussions took place between the Cowboys and Jets, but it quickly became clear no agreement would be feasible.

During an appearance on ESPN 880 AM in New York, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini) he contacted the Jets about Parsons. His asking price as part of a package from New York general manager Darren Mougey would have included defensive tackle Quinnen Williams. That comes as little surprise since Dallas specifically targeted an addition at that position in the event Parsons were to be dealt.

As one would expect, Mougey and the Jets let it be known in short order no trade would be taking place. Williams, 27, has three Pro Bowls and one first-team All-Pro nod to his name. The former No. 3 pick is well established as a focal point of the team’s defense, and his contract runs through 2027. With $64MM in outstanding compensation, Williams would have been considerably more expensive for the Cowboys than their eventual acquisition (Kenny Clark).

A major reason why the Packers ultimately swung the Parsons trade, of course, was their willingness to make a record-breaking commitment via an extension. The All-Pro edge rusher landed $47MM in AAV on a four-year pact, the highest figure ever for a non-quarterback. Parsons secured over $123MM in full guarantees, as detailed by Cimini’s colleague Rob Demovsky. The 26-year-old will also see $12.09MM – most of his 2028 salary – shift to a full guarantee early in the 2027 league year. Per-game roster bonuses worth up to $200K annually along with $250K workout bonuses are present from 2026-29, with three void years included in the accord.

SNY’s Connor Hughes notes the Jets were never going to match an extension with those terms, nor a pact in line with the informal agreement Parsons and Jones reached early this offseason. New York’s regime led by Mougey and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn made a number of lucrative commitments but prioritized in-house players in the process. Cornerback Sauce Gardner reset the cornerback market while fellow 2022 first-rounder Garrett Wilson also secured a monster second contract. Fitting in Parsons would have substantially altered the Jets’ financial planning for years to come.

Green Bay will instead look to translate the Parsons acquisition into success in 2025 and beyond. The Jets, meanwhile, will aim to end their playoff drought in Year 1 of the Mougey-Glenn era. Williams will be a critical factor in that effort, and he will no doubt be counted on well beyond 2025 as well.

Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Defense

July 4th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2025 offseason has been defined in no small part by extensions amongst the league’s top edge rushers. A number of high-profile situations on that front remain unresolved at this point, which will make for interesting storylines over the coming weeks. Still, pass rushers once again account for some of the top cap charges around the NFL.

Just like on offense, here is a breakdown of the top 25 defensive cap hits in 2025:

Maxx Crosby, DE (Raiders): $38.15MM
T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $30.42MM
DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $26.6MM
Daron Payne, DT (Commanders): $26.17MM
Rashan Gary, OLB (Packers): $25.77MM
Montez Sweat, DE (Bears): $25.09MM
Denzel Ward, CB (Browns): $24.56MM
Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys): $24.01MM
Derwin James, S (Chargers): $23.86MM
Roquan Smith, LB (Ravens): $23.72MM
Dexter Lawrence, DT (Giants): $23.64MM
Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $23.6MM
Jeffery Simmons, DT (Titans): $22.7MM
L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): $22.58MM
Vita Vea, DT (Buccaneers): $22.47MM
Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Dolphins): $22.36MM
Jonathan Greenard, DE (Vikings): $22.3MM
Jessie Bates, S (Falcons): $22.25MM
Myles Garrett, DE (Browns): $21.92MM)
Quinnen Williams, DT (Jets): $21.59MM
Jaylon Johnson, CB (Bears): $21MM
Nick Bosa, DE (49ers): $20.43MM
Kenny Clark, DT (Packers): $20.37MM
Danielle Hunter, DE (Texans): $20.2MM
Zach Allen, DE (Broncos): $19.8MM

Crosby briefly held the title of the league’s highest-paid pass rusher when his latest Raiders extension was signed. That $35.5MM-per-year pact was quickly overtaken in value, but it put to rest speculation about a potential trade. Now fully healthy, Crosby’s level of play in 2025 will be critical in determining Vegas’ success.

Garrett currently leads the way in terms of AAV for edge rushers (and, in turn, all defensive players). He landed $40MM in annual compensation from the Browns in a deal which ended his long-running trade request. The four-time All-Pro sought a change of scenery to a Super Bowl contender but then altered his stance following communication with Cleveland’s front office. Garrett is now on the books through 2030.

Other notable pass rushers face an uncertain future beyond the coming campaign, by contrast. That includes Watt, who is not close to reaching an agreement on a third Steelers contract. The former Defensive Player of the Year is reported to be eyeing a pact which will again move him to the top of the pecking order for pass rushers. He thus finds himself in a similar situation to fellow 30-year-old All-Pro Trey Hendrickson with the Bengals.

While Hendrickson is believed to be aiming for a new deal similar in average annual value to those like Bosa and Hunter’s, Parsons could leapfrog Watt atop the pecking order by the time the season begins. Little (if any) progress has been made since Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reached a handshake agreement on the framework of a deal. Time remains for a pact to be finalized before training camp; failing that, the possibility of a hold-in will increase.

Recent years have seen a major spike in the valuation of interior defensive linemen capable of producing against the pass. It comes as no surprise, then, to see a multitude of D-tackles on the list. Buckner and Chris Jones are among the veterans with the longest track record of success in terms of sacks and pressures (along with disruptive play against the run, of course). Payne, Lawrence, Simmons and Williams were among the players who helped moved the position’s market upward with similar second contracts during the 2023 offseason.

Gary, Sweat and Greenard will again be counted on to lead the way in terms of pass rush production for their respective NFC North teams. Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota each have upside elsewhere on the depth chart, but expectations will remain high for those three based on their lucrative deals. The highly competitive division will no doubt come down to head-to-head games, and they will be influenced in large part by the performances of each defense.

The cornerback market reached $30MM per year this offseason thanks to Derek Stingley Jr.‘s Texans extension. Given the term remaining on his rookie pact, though, his cap charge for this season checks in at a much lower rate than that of teammates like Hunter or other top CBs. Ward and Jaylon Jones are on the books through 2027, and the same is true of Sneed. The high-priced Tennessee trade acquisition did not enjoy a healthy debut season with his new team in 2024, but he appears to be set for full participation in training camp.

Safety and linebacker are among the positions which have witnessed slower growth than others recently. Still, a few top performers are attached to deals landing them on this list. Smith has been a first-team All-Pro performer during his tenure with the Ravens; he will be expected to remain one in 2025 and beyond. James and Bates will likewise be counted on as key playmakers in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Fitzpatrick will, interestingly, return to his original team after being part of the blockbuster Steelers-Dolphins trade from earlier this week.

Vea helped the Buccaneers rank fourth against the run last season while Clark and the Packers finished seventh in that regard. Both veterans have multiple years remaining on their deals, although in both cases the final season does not include guaranteed money. Vea and/or Clark could thus find themselves discussing an extension next offseason.

Allen is among the players listed who could have a new deal in hand before Week 1. The former Cardinal is coming off a career-best 8.5 sacks from the 2024 season. To no surprise, then, Allen is high on Denver’s list of extension priorities, and it will be interesting to see if the pending 2026 free agent works out a new pact prior to the start of the campaign.

Jets, DT Quinnen Williams Agree To Extension

July 18th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 18: Williams’ deal includes $47.835MM guaranteed at signing, according to OverTheCap. That number certainly looks to have been based on the Simmons deal, which included $47.830MM locked in. Williams’ full guarantees now top the defensive tackle market.

The guarantees cover a $24.5MM signing bonus and Williams’ 2023 and ’24 base salaries, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. Part of Williams’ 2025 base salary ($15.65MM) is fully guaranteed, with Florio adding $6.24MM of that total is already locked in. The rest of that money, however, does not become guaranteed until March 2025. At that point, $5MM of Williams’ $20.75MM salary for 2026 becomes guaranteed as well. The rest of Williams’ 2026 base and his full 2027 base are nonguaranteed.

JULY 13: Talks between the Jets and their emerging defensive star have, as foreshadowed yesterday, yielded a deal. Quinnen Williams has agreed to terms on an extension, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). The Jets have since announced the agreement.

Williams, 25, will earn $96MM over four years, making this the NFL’s second-largest contract handed out to a defensive tackle. The mega-contract includes $66MM in guaranteed money, Pelissero adds. One of the key points in contract talks was length, rather than financial terms, per SNY’s Connor Hughes, who tweets that Williams got his preferred four- (rather than five-) year pact.

The 2023 offseason has seen the DT market erupt, and it comes as no surprise that Williams has become the latest to cash in. The former No. 3 pick enjoyed a career-year in 2022, recording 12 sacks, a pair of forced fumbles and 28 QB hits. Those figures helped earn him Pro Bowl and All-Pro nods, and gave him considerable leverage at the negotiating table.

Williams made it clear that he intended to have an extension worked out by April, under the threat of skipping out on voluntary OTAs. In the time that has passed since, then, other young producers along the defensive interior have inked deals of their own. Jeffery Simmons (Titans), Daron Payne (Commanders), Dexter Lawrence (Giants) and Ed Oliver (Bills) are among the beneficiaries of the new, lucrative market, and Williams has now surpassed each of them with this pact.

The Alabama product will earn $24MM per season on his second contract, just ahead of Simmons’ $23.5MM AAV but still well short of Aaron Donald‘s $31.67MM figure. Williams was already on the books for this season via the fifth-year option (valued at $9.6MM), so his time in the Big Apple will run through the 2027 campaign at a far more lucrative rate.

By securing this deal, the Jets have retained a homegrown high-impact player for the first time in the Joe Douglas era. Williams is the first Jets first-rounder to secure a second contract with the team since 2011 draftee Muhammad Wilkerson. A number of other young players Douglas has added will likely receive extensions of their own in the intermediate future, but today’s is a signficant sign of progress for the win-now franchise.

New York inked linebacker Quincy Williams to a three-year extension earlier this offseason, so he and his brother now have a shared future with the Jets. From a league-wide perspective, it will be interesting to see how much of an impact today’s news has on negotiations between the Chiefs and Chris Jones. The latter has been angling for a deal which will place him in the No. 2 spot amongst defensive tackle compensation, and a report from earlier this week indicated a agreement could be imminent. Kansas City may have to up their offer to satisfy Jones’ goal of surpassing all DTs behind Donald in the pecking order.

Given their acquisition of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, 2023 (and, perhaps, a season or so beyond that) is a campaign holding considerable expectations for the Jets. While the future Hall of Famer should elevate the team’s offense, its defense will still be counted on to perform at the elite level it showcased last season. Williams will be at the heart of that effort now and for many years in future.

Latest On Potential Extension For Jets DT Quinnen Williams

July 12th, 2023 at 8:28pm CST by Ely Allen

Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams rewarded the Jets exercising his fifth-year option last year with a breakout 2022 season. As a result, Williams made the next two decisions for New York very easy and very difficult, respectively. The easy decision was to start working towards an extension for the fifth-year lineman. The difficult part has been finding a deal that is agreeable to both sides. Recently, though, feelings around the deal have been positive and optimistic, according to Brian Costello of the NY Post, who ranked Williams as the team’s best player heading into 2023.

Coming off his career year, Williams made it clear that he wanted a new deal, and he wanted his new deal to be a priority, letting it be known that he wanted an extension by April. Yet, into May, the two sides were reportedly still not close on an agreement. One of the reasons for the delay was the preoccupation of the front office as they dealt with a prolonged trade discussion for quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The team also started working towards a restructured contract for their new passer, but a Williams extension seems like a bigger priority for the long-term.

As the negotiations with Williams have dragged on over the months, things have stayed surprisingly civil. For a team that has been known to alienate their best players, like former safety Jamal Adams and former cornerback Darrelle Revis, during contract negotiations, the Jets appear to be on good terms with Williams, despite the slow progress.

Being on good terms for now is fine, but with training camp approaching quickly, the pressure is likely building. Williams could potentially stay away from camp or stage a “hold-in.” In order to avoid any uncomfortable situations, the Jets probably want to figure out a new deal before camp. Williams has certainly earned it, and the quality of the defensive line without him drops dramatically.

Latest On Jets, Dalvin Cook; Aaron Rodgers, Quinnen Williams Talks Impacting Pursuit?

July 6th, 2023 at 3:22pm CST by Sam Robinson

The waiting game between Dalvin Cook and his lot of suitors continues. Nearly a month has passed since the Vikings cut Cook, and a few known interested parties have emerged. Thus far, no team has blown the four-time Pro Bowler away with an offer.

A Miami native, Cook has said the Dolphins are a “perfect fit,” and the team has submitted a contract proposal to the six-year veteran. No early deal commencing has opened the door to Dolphin rivals, with the Jets and Patriots now known to have Cook on their respective radars. Indeed, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during a recent Get Up! appearance that the Jets have done their homework on the free agent back and are in the mix here (video link).

For the time being, the Jets can probably be classified as a team monitoring this market. They could become a true suitor, per the New York Post’s Brian Costello, but only if Cook reduces his asking price. Cook is said to be seeking a number close to his $10MM-plus Vikings salary. As of now, the Jets sit fifth in cap space with $23.2MM. Some moving parts exist regarding that number, however.

New York has had an Aaron Rodgers restructure on its radar since acquiring the future Hall of Fame quarterback in April. The Packers and Rodgers reached a restructure agreement on the way out, a move that caught the Jets by surprise. As a result, Rodgers is due a whopping $107.5MM in base salary next year. His cap number aligns with that eye-popping figure. With no player ever entering a season on even a $50MM cap hit, it is safe to say some cap mechanics will take place fairly soon.

The Jets will look to spread out Rodgers’ hit, but since the current arrangement calls for that $107MM number in 2024, such a transaction would raise the 2023 figure from its present $1.2MM place. The Buccaneers used void years to smooth out their cap during Tom Brady‘s tenure, and while they are eating $35MM-plus in dead money as a result of the legendary passer not re-signing with the team, Tampa Bay obviously picked up its second Super Bowl title after the monumental free agent signing. However, Fowler adds a Jets-Rodgers restructure could be contingent on the 39-year-old QB committing to play at least two seasons with the team.

Rodgers has gone year to year for a bit now, delaying his latest return announcement until after free agency began this year, and stopped short of saying he would play beyond 2023 at his introductory Jets presser. The 19th-year veteran did break a recent trend by attending OTAs and did say he viewed this trade as a multiyear commitment. During trade talks with the Packers, the Jets attempted to squeeze in a contract clause that would have required Green Bay to send a 2025 second-round choice over in the event Rodgers did not play in 2024. That term was left on the cutting-room floor. The trade only includes one 2024 component, the conditional first-round pick that would transfer from New York to Green Bay if Rodgers plays 65% of Gang Green’s 2023 offensive snaps.

While the Rodgers restructure will presumably increase his 2023 cap hit, the Jets can reduce Williams’ fifth-year option number ($9.59MM) with an extension agreement. The Bills did this by extending Ed Oliver, creating room for the Leonard Floyd signing. Douglas and Robert Saleh expressed confidence in a Williams re-up earlier this offseason, but Fowler did not indicate much progress has been made as of late. The Jets are also prepared to give Corey Davis an ultimatum. With Davis’ role set to be reduced, he is not long for the $11.17MM cap number to which he is currently tied. This transaction would also free up cap space.

Breece Hall is finishing up his rehab from an October ACL tear; the Jets expect their promising second-year back to return by Week 1. Cook has said he wants to sign with a contender with a clear running back need. Although the Jets are committing to chase a Super Bowl while Rodgers is in town, Cook could certainly cut into Hall’s development. Then again, adding high-profile insurance for a young player coming off a major knee injury would not be the worst idea for a team in the Jets’ situation. And, with the Dolphins and Patriots interested, the Jets adding Cook would mean a protection measure against one of their rivals improving its backfield.

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