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Linebacker was a polarizing position for the New York Jets at the start of the 2022 offseason. Some fans preferred to begin the process of replacing C.J. Mosely in 2023 while others were confident in the veteran alongside Quincy Williams.
Anytime we’re discussing this position group in head coach Robert Saleh’s scheme, it’s important to remember that the Jets only start two linebackers a majority of the time — with nickelback Michael Carter II on the field anytime the opposition fields three wide receivers. The third starting linebacker role only plays somewhere around 25-35% of the snaps.
Veteran Jarrad Davis held this role in 2021 but it appears either Marcell Harris, Hamsah Nasirildeen, Jamien Sherwood when healthy, or rookie DQ Thomas are the favorites for the job this time around. There’s very little competition at the top, however, meaning Mosley and Williams should coast toward every-down roles.
The coaching staff seems to love this pair, and according to a recent report, that’s the main reason why the Jets chose not to address this unit during the spring.
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Jets Believe Williams Can Be a ‘Pro Bowler’
Beat reporter Connor Hughes of The Athletic posted an OTA preview on May 20 and Williams was a major focus of the column.
“There was a public belief the Jets needed to address the linebacker position this offseason because of what analytics indicated about the group last year,” Hughes began. “That sentiment wasn’t shared by the Jets. Among the biggest reasons for that was Quincy Williams, whom the Jets claimed off the waiver wire from the [Jacksonville] Jaguars last year.”
Remember, Williams is a former third-round selection that has football in his bloodlines with NYJ teammate and little brother, Quinnen Williams. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich also revealed that he had hoped to draft the linebacker in Atlanta, but the Jags snagged him first.
Hughes continued: “Williams, 25, set career highs in every statistical category in his first year with the Jets. He had 110 tackles, two sacks, nine tackles for loss and four quarterback hits in 16 games (13 starts). The Jets believe he just wasn’t a fit with Jacksonville. He can come into his own in coach Robert Saleh’s attack-first scheme. You saw flashes of that last year. A full offseason, and a better understanding of the defense, will lead to an even better Williams in 2022. He’ll be a Pro Bowler if he accomplishes what the Jets believe he is capable of.”
Williams has the talent and the physicality to become a household name but he hasn’t had the consistency. His greatest areas of weakness during his young career have been scheme awareness, gap discipline, coverage and reading the offense.
Hughes agreed, concluding: “To do that, Williams needs to gain a better grasp of his aggression. He plays linebacker like a bull in a china shop. That leads to bone-crushing hits, yes, but also to Williams running himself out of position. The Jets want him to be more controlled — turn that on and off — and know when to attack, and when to be a bit more passive.”
Ulbrich does always note that the Jets’ defense is less complex than the average NFL system. In other words, principle and toughness over scheme and elaborate concepts. That does sound like Williams’ type of defense but can he really make a Pro Bowl-type leap in the future?
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The Numbers Behind Breakout Season
For all intents and purposes, Williams had a breakout campaign in New York — although the analytics tell a different story. According to Pro Football Focus, both Mosley and Williams were liabilities in Gang Green’s 32nd-ranked defense a good deal of the time.
Their worst area was run defense on PFF, which is still a major concern in 2022. Mosley had a run-D grade of 38.5 on the year and Williams wasn’t much better at 41.7.
Pass coverage was another area the two starters got torched with marks of 50.2 (Mosley) and 47.9 (Williams). On the other hand, the pair were solid in the tackling department — especially Mosley — and above average when rushing the passer.
The vet had a missed tackle percentage under 10.0 at 9.2, while Williams’ was a 12.1. He’ll have to improve on that percentage in 2022, as well as the other deficiencies above.
Of course, there were some positives for the linebacker that the Jets consider a rising star. Williams totaled 46 defensive stops, forced three fumbles and was credited with 10 quarterback pressures (two sacks). He also allowed a lower catch percentage than Mosley but did give up more yards per reception.
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