Getty Ex-New York Jets linebacker Avery Williamson enjoying playing the sport he loves in the NFL.
The NFL can be a tough business and that statement was never truer than this week in the midst of the NFL trade deadline.
With so many big-time decisions up in the air and uneven roster volatility, some players got new opportunities and others got their pink slips.
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Well That’s Not Ideal
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Over the weekend the Tennessee Titans lost their star running back Derrick Henry for the foreseeable future. That surprising injury forced the team to make some moves they weren’t anticipating and that had several ripple effects.
Tennessee signed a pair of veteran tailbacks in Adrian Peterson and D’Oonta Foreman, in a corresponding roster move, they released ex-New York Jets linebacker, Avery Williamson.
Although the eight-year pro seemed to take it in stride tweeting out, “damn… I got fired on my day off (with a laughing crying emoji).”
Damn…I got fired on my day off 😂
Williamson spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Titans, then signed a big-money free-agent deal to join the Jets back in 2018.
After a remarkable first year where he totaled 120 tackles, three sacks, and six pass deflections Williamson ended up missing the entirety of the 2019 campaign with a torn ACL.
Eventually, he was traded away to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2022 fifth-rounder and since then he has bounced around the league. Most recently Williamson was with the Titans before being released this week.
A Chance at a Reunion That Would Make Sense
Now that Williamson is back in the open waters, it could be a perfect time for a reunion.
The Jets linebacking corps has imploded with an array of injuries
- Blake Cashman (injured reserve)
- Jamien Sherwood (out for the season)
- Hamsah Nasirildeen (injured reserve)
Jarrad Davis just made his debut last week vs the Cincinnati Bengals after missing the first six games of the season. CJ Mosley missed the New England game with a hamstring injury, but looked better than ever vs Cincy.
Speaking of that Patriots game, the lack of linebacker depth had never been more evident. Without that reliability in the middle, the rest of the defense folded like a used lawn chair.
That can’t happen again and one way to prevent it is by adding valuable and experienced depth where it matters most.
With all of that going on it would behoove the green and white to kick the tires. They already worked out Williamson earlier this season.
The 29-year-old still has a lot of gas left in the tank and could be added to the 16-man practice squad at first. That would provide him an opportunity to get comfortable with the system and eventually if the injury bug strikes again, the Jets could simply elevate him from the practice squad.
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Ex-Jets Linebacker ‘Fired’ on Day off, Reunion Remains a Possibility