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.
“I just handle what I can handle, just control what I can control,” Williams said (via Adam Maya of NFL.com). “Just go out and work hard as I can for any team that I’m on. Hopefully it’s the Jets so I can play with Coach (Robert) Saleh, but any team I’m on, I just work my hardest so that when that comes around I can be the best player I can be.”
Why?
he likes the pain
Why is the right question unless Joe Namath is coming out of retirement!
They’d be dumb to trade him. He’s the best DT under 25 in the nfl when he’s extension eligible they should give him one
Him and Maye were fantastic last year; everyone else, not so much.
King Beas,
Unless he can start throwing touchdown passes and running in touchdowns. You can’t win a game 0-0. You have to score points!
Every athlete says that one year and wanna be traded the next
He is going to stay with Jets and help turn the team around.
Cornerstone of Defense. He ain’t going anywhere. Will get better and better.
Kid was hampered by a high ankle sprain most of his rookie season. I wouldn’t put much stock in the term ‘disappointing ‘. This kid is a stud
He’s only 23 and already must suffer from full blown CTE…
This is the type of player you want. Stay with the team that gave you your chance. Like said above, this kid is a stud. Jets would be foolish to let him go.
Heard that before
It seems like a lot of the sportswriters haven’t been pointing this out, but has anyone thought that Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas might feel like they don’t need a lights-out world-beating QB to assemble a Super Bowl-caliber roster? Douglas (albeit as a scout/ front office guy) has won Super Bowls with Trent Dilfer, Joe Flacco, and Nick Foles under center, and Saleh has been there (albeit as a defensive guy) with Jimmy Garoppolo.
I have to feel like they don’t think they need to trade the universe for a QB like R. Wilson or Watson, or even draft a guy like Z. Wilson, Lance, or Fields for them to build a good roster.
They also both know that there are so many holes on this roster and that they’ve got boatloads of draft picks and cap space to fill them with at least an average option under contract right now. Why decrease your cap space or draft capital to improve in one area if that prevents you from improving in others?
What I think they really should do it wait until after the draft and re-evaluate. Don’t draft Z. Wilson or Fields. If Watson or R. Wilson get traded beforehand or become unavailable, then they just go with Darnold. If they’re still available, then it will cost less to get them after the draft. Just wait out Houston and Seattle and see what happens if R. Wilson or Watson hold out on them. Seattle overpaid for Jamal Adams when everyone else knew that he’d never play for us again. If Watson or R. Wilson are that disgruntled, let’s not overpay too.
Thoughts?
They could get a lot of draft capital for the #2 overall pick. A 1st and 2nd this year, a 1st next year, and maybe a bit (a lot?) more than that.
I guess I think of it more this way: would you rather have Deshaun Watson throwing to maybe one of the free agent WRs that we’re lucky enough to get, Ryan Griffin/Chris Herndon, handing it off to Perine and Johnson, behind a line of McGovern, Becton, and three new randon guys? Plus a defense with Marcus Maye and then no other viable, quality starters? Or would you rather have Darnold, throwing to a free agent WR, handing it off to Etienne, behind a line bookended by Becton and Sewell. With a defense with an improved Quinnen, and extended Maye, and a new player or two picked in the early rounds?
Some people think Watson might use his no trade clause if he thinks the haul would weaken his new team too much, it’s sort of an interesting catch 22
I don’t follow college football or the Jets as closely as you – Vikings fan here – but your original comment about the new GM having worked on Super Bowl winning teams with non-elite QB’s tied in well with the reports that there is significant sentiment within the organization that Darnold may be salvageable, and they might be better off building up the roster around him, instead of dropping a ton of draft capital and actual capital on a QB when you’re still at least a couple of years away. I’m sympathetic to that view.