The Jets may place defensive tackle Leonard Williams on the trade block in the coming months with the hope of receiving at least a second-round pick, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.
If Gang Green does shop Williams, it appears the club’s motives would be mostly financial in nature. As a former first-round pick, Williams is under contract in 2019 via a $14.2MM fifth-year option. That figure alone would rank Williams ninth among all NFL interior defensive lineman, and he’d only get more expensive in the following years.
New York could potentially reach a long-term extension with Williams at some point in the next year-plus, but a franchise tag could also be in the cards. If he’s franchised in 2020, Williams would collect 120% of his 2019 salary, meaning he’d earn roughly $32MM over the next two seasons combined. A $16MM average annual value would rank sixth among defensive tackles on a league-wide basis.
Thus far, the Jets haven’t had any extension negotiations with Williams, although those talks are expected to occur in 2019. Williams, who has acknowledged New York’s head coaching change will affect his decisions going forward, doesn’t sound interested in giving the Jets any sort of hometown discount. “It’s one of my goals to be one of the best players, one of the best defensive linemen,” Williams said in June. “When that comes, then I think the money comes with it.”
Williams is still only 24 years old, and has never missed a game during his NFL career. In 2018, Williams managed five sacks and tied for 18th among defensive lineman with 20 quarterback hits. Pro Football Focus ranked Williams as the 31st-best interior defender among 121 qualifiers.
They should keep him. Get rid of him and they’ll just have to replace him, which isnt easy to do.
Last thing I want to see is to deal him, then burn the #3 pick on his replacement while STILL not addressing the real need of an edge rusher- one that in turn would help Williams on the inside.
We’ll give you AB straight up
Why would the jets get rid of their best lineman underselling him as well as a second round pick
Money!
The jets have 100 million dollars in cap space and have their qb on a rookie scale contract for 3 years into a proposed new deal
Very good
U must be a genius
Apparently not if I can’t find the logic behind the move
Has anyone else ever wondered why only players are asked to give ‘hometown discounts’? Never hear that term used for coaches, office staff, scouts or even for fans.
I was looking at Jags tickets in Dec, clearly a lost season, and yet no ‘hometown discounts’ on the tickets; full face value.
Good post. Can you imagine the discounts the Jets would be seeking if they actually won more than 4 games a year?
Wiiliams is a blue collar guy that plays solid week in and week out. Provides the kind of quiet leadership coaches love. His name never comes up in connection with arrests, domestic violence or PEDs so naturally the Jets want to get rid of him. Explains in part why this franchise has been a farce for so long.
This draft is loaded with interior lineman. However, the Jets dont have the luxury of drafting atop round 2 to land one that slides. They could trade into the late 1st early 2nd and snag a Dexter Lawrence. The point is to restart the clock on your salary cap situation for key positions. A high priced DT isnt helping you fill a roster full of needs. They’ll go Edge in the 1st unless Quinnen William’s falls to them.
How dare players want to be paid. Selfish
Owners are really struggling financially as indicated by Jerry Jones recent purchase of a 250 million dollar yacht.