BEREA -- It did not take long for the Cleveland Browns to find a replacement for linebacker Devin Bush, who agreed to terms with the Bears. The Browns are signing former Jets All-Pro linebacker Quincy Williams to a two-year contract, worth up to $17 million a source confirmed to The OBR. Jordan Schultz of the Schultz Report was the first to report.
BREAKING: The #Browns are signing former #Jets All-Pro LB Quincy Williams to a 2 year deal worth up to $17M, per sources.
A massive pickup. pic.twitter.com/lwk4OPzpJr
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 9, 2026
Williams (5-11, 230, 8th year, Murray St.) had 83 tackles and 3.5 sacks for the Jets in 2025. He was ranked as the 95th-best available free agent by NFL.com and No. 89 by ESPN. Williams has had over 100 tackles four times in his career.
Williams started 81 of 96 games played in seven seasons, including 73 of 78 in the last five years with the Jets.
Williams started 12 of 13 games in 2025 with 83 tackles, eight for loss, 3.5 sacks and seven passes defensed.
Williams, 29, was a third-round draft choice of the Jaguars in the 2019 NFL Draft and he spent his first two seasons there. He would spend his next five with the New York Jets. A consistent presence throughout his career was new Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg. Williams' two best seasons he's had in his career, 2023 and 2024 with the Jets, Rutenberg was his linebackers coach. The Associated Press named Williams first team All-Pro in 2023 when he recorded 95 solo tackles, forced two fumbles, intercepted a pass and had ten pass deflections.
Rutenberg was Williams' assistant linebackers coach as a rookie in Jacksonville in 2019 and his linebackers coach with the Jets from 2021-24.
Williams is a speedy weak side linebacker who offers range and coverage ability. The former college safety has 21 PBUs in his past three seasons. Williams steps in to fill the void left by Bush, who has agreed to a three-year deal with the Chicago Bears worth up to $30 million.
Rutenberg brought up Williams' name during his introductory press conference when asked about players seeming to gravitate to him. Rutenberg was with the Jaguars when Williams was there.
"Life is about relationships," Rutenberg said. "Marriage and parenting is about relationships. And that's been my approach to find out what's important to the players. I've told this story. When I first met C.J. Mosley, the first question he asked me is, what's the close call? I said to the tight end. He asked me a couple other questions. I don't want to give away too many answers, but I answered them in football. He basically walked away from me. I was like, oof.