Quincy Williams, Jets
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New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the Tennessee Titans.
The New York Jets are expected to lose a key piece on defense.
Insider Greg Auman of NFL on FOX predicted that linebacker Quincy Williams would bolt from the Jets and sign with the Tennessee Titans.
“Williams, 29, averaged 110 tackles a year in his five seasons with the Jets, having just finished a three-year, $18 million contract. Would a change of scenery help him? There are potential matches in the Titans, where former Jets coach Robert Saleh is now, and the Falcons, where his defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, returns. Both had him when he was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2023, so it makes sense, given the choice, that he could return to one of them,” Auman wrote.
Trouble in Paradise
In 2023, Williams delivered a first-team All-Pro season. However, things fell apart over the last two years.
“At one point, Williams was benched and pulled from the starting lineup, though that didn’t last long. PFF had him ranked 69th of 78 linebackers to play at least 500 snaps, and he had a missed tackle rate of 15.7 percent while allowing five touchdowns in coverage,” Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic revealed.
“Williams didn’t get along with the Jets’ new coaching staff — namely defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and linebackers coach Aaron Curry — and, according to a team source, told people late last season that he was preparing as if these were his final games with the Jets,” Rosenblatt added.
He agreed with Auman that the most likely destinations are reuniting with one of his old coaches. Saleh is the HC in Tennessee, and Ulbrich just received a new extension from Atlanta to remain as the DC.
Breaking Down the Market for Williams
Williams made $6 million per year on his last deal. What potentially seemed like an overpay initially immediately became a bargain for the Jets.
According to Spotrac’s calculated market value, Williams is due for a pay raise. He is expected to command a one-year $9.2 million contract in free agency.
That $9.2 million annual salary would place Williams No. 18 among the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
One of the Best Jets Development Stories of All Time
If this is truly the end for Quincy in New York, then he should be praised on the way out.
The former Murray State product entered the league as the No. 98 overall pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft.
After two and a half seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, they gave up on him. Jacksonville waived Williams ahead of final roster cuts in 2021. The Jets scooped him off waivers.
When he first arrived, Quincy was more well-known as the brother of Quinnen Williams rather than anything on his own merits.
It took Williams a while to find his footing. He had all the traits of an explosive, fast, hard-hitting linebacker, but he lacked control.
Williams was often fooled on plays by the opposing offense. They would get him to bite underneath and then throw it over his head. Williams’ speed and aggressiveness were used against him, and he overpursued players and was caught on skates.
However, the diligent coaching of Saleh, Ulbrich, and Mike Rutenberg eventually paid off. They unlocked a new level in Williams’ game, and he exploded on the scene.
Between 2021 and 2024, Williams racked up 20 pass deflections, nine forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, nine sacks, 471 tackles, 50 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits.
Williams transformed from a random waiver wire claim to one of the best linebackers in the sport. He is 29 and will turn 30 before the start of the 2026 season. That player is still in there somewhere.