The New York Jets offseason is officially underway and star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams wasted no time sending a clear message at general manager Joe Douglas — don’t you dare forget about me.
Williams addressed the media on January 9, otherwise known as Black Monday around the NFL community in 2023, and the 2022 team MVP made a bold statement regarding his contract negotiations.
“Everybody knows I’m a team guy, man, everybody knows that I believe in team [mentality] and I want to push team-first and different things like that,” Williams began via Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News, voicing, “but I do want to get a [new] contract done before the offseason program, and I do feel like I deserve to get a contract done before the offseason program.”
Jets DT Quinnen Williams: “I want to be compensated for what I am.”
Williams later confirmed that if his extension is not done before offseason workouts begin, he will “skip” the voluntary portion during the spring. “It’s just a timetable that I have and a timetable that my agent came up with,” he explained.
Quinnen Williams: ‘I Did Everything Right on the Field & Everything Right off the Field’
Williams continued on after hinting at an OTA ultimatum for the Jets front office, stating why he feels he deserves a contract extension in 2023 ahead of his first free-agent campaign — with his rookie deal set to expire in 2024.
“I did everything right on the field and everything right off the field,” the game-wrecker D-lineman told reporters on Monday morning. “Having the organization behind me just like I’m behind them will show that they really support me… [that’s] an amazing thing for me.”
When asked if he would like to be the highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL, Williams responded: “I just want to be [pauses], I just want to be compensated for what I am.”
“It’s not really [about] how much money I make or how [little] money I make,” he added, “my agent [is] going to handle all [of] that.”
Williams’ player agent is Nicole Lynn, who made history in 2019 as the first black female to represent a top-five NFL pick.
Quinnen Williams In Line for Major Payday From Joe Douglas
Douglas didn’t draft Williams but after the 2022 campaign, it’s obvious that he must commit to him long-term. The former first-round D-tackle out of Alabama turned into a top-three talent at his position this year and he’s only entering his age-26 season in the league.
That makes this an easy decision for Douglas if both parties can agree on a number.
As it stands, Williams is expected to make $9.594 million guaranteed in 2023. That yearly salary is expected to rise up to where the Aaron Donalds and DeForest Buckners of the league reside.
The Los Angeles Rams superstar leads the way with an exorbitant $31.67 million average salary while there is a large drop-off to Buckner and New York Giants veteran Leonard Williams at $21 million per year according to Over the Cap. Williams’ new deal could land somewhere in between.
Of course, Chris Jones is a key name to watch when it comes to the Jets’ contract negotiations with Williams, being that the veteran is in a similar boat and expects a new offer from the Kansas City Chiefs. Right now, Jones makes $20 million per year on average and was the most productive interior DL in the NFL this season with 15.5 sacks and 40 QB pressures according to Pro Football Reference.
Williams finished the campaign with 12 sacks and 30 QB pressures, but did have more total tackles than Jones — with fewer tackles for a loss. By most margins, the Jets rising star was the second-best DT in football this season behind Jones.
“I think it was a cool year full of excitement and fun,” Williams said, summing up the season, “getting to where I want to be confident and where I want to be in my career in general, and taking the next steps to become the player that I want to be.”
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Quinnen Williams Hints at Forcing Contract Ultimatum With Jets