With the NFL regular season coming to a close, linebacker Quincy Williams finds himself in a precarious position. His situation with the New York Jets remains unclear. Big changes are coming down the pike, perhaps even the immediate future of the coaching staff. As he heads into free agency for the first time this spring, Williams is at a crossroads himself.
Williams had an excellent 2022 season playing for head coach Robert Saleh. Since joining the Jets off the waiver wire, he has developed into one of the league’s best off-ball linebackers. As he enters a critical offseason, he finds himself at a crossroads as he makes decisions about how to proceed.
As it stands, though, Williams will be 30 next season, making his future and the long-term sustainability of his play an issue. He acknowledged that the defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has required him to adapt his playing style. I’m less mobile and less upright,” he said, looking back on the changes he’s made over the course of the season.
This season, Williams has illustrated unique poise and flexibility. It’s evident that he puts the utmost priority in locating the best possible creative home for his talent. He made a point about needing a compatible system when he spoke about his future with the Jets.
“When I’m in the right defense, I ball out,” – Quincy Williams
Given everything that’s happened this year, how he plays in the last few games of this season will likely determine what his future holds in Seattle. Alijah Vera-Tucker and Nick Folk are two of the biggest pending free agents. With decisions made during the offseason, the roster could look entirely different.
A fellow Jet—star running back Harris—is only 100 yards away from his own first 1,000-yard season. Harris exemplifies a tremendous work ethic. He routinely sticks around post practice to haul in an impressive 150 balls a day on the JUGS machine. His commitment is serious, serious enough to catch everyone’s eye. Others are incredibly excited to see whether he can hit that mark before the end of the season.
Harris has a great pedigree, though, with his NFL bloodlines. He patrolled the back end of defenses as an NFL safety for eight seasons with the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers. He is perhaps best known for intercepting a pass from Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLI in 2007. Through this experience, his overall understanding of the game has increased tremendously. It’ll serve him endlessly as he transitions into his new position on the Jets’ coaching staff.
Adding to the challenges, Harris inherits a historic drought for the Jets’ defense, which is currently tied with the San Francisco 49ers for the longest streak without an interception in NFL history. It’s the fourth-longest streak in franchise history, and the team has played 14 consecutive games without a defensive interception. As Harris prepares to take over as the defensive coordinator for a crucial three-game audition beginning Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, he faces immense pressure to turn things around.
The Jets signed extensions for tight end Jeremy Ruckert and center Josh Myers last week. These transactions are all about building their roster for the 2024 season and beyond. Complementing those comments, the action plan gives glimpses of the team’s long-term strategy.
Quincy Williams would love to stick with the Jets this coming offseason. Because as much as he has earned this opportunity, he knows that his future largely hangs on the appointment of a new defensive coordinator. He stated, “That’s my main thing. This offseason is going to be about getting put in the right defense, making sure I’m in the right defense. If that’s at the Jets, that’ll be awesome. But that all depends on the D coordinator they bring in, and the style of defense they run. I’m going to weigh all that.”
Brady Cook might not have created a ton of pre-draft buzz last spring, but he left his stamp by running at the scouting combine and taking an official pre-draft visit. Today, he sees his experience through a bright lens.
“For whatever reason, obviously I went undrafted, I didn’t have as much hype in that process, but I think it worked it out,” – Brady Cook
The next few weeks will be telling for Quincy Williams and Harris. They will be personally and creatively driving their own futures on the Jets. The choices they make in this crucial period will shape the rest of their careers. Beyond immediate benefits, these decisions will frame the continuing evolution of the team in the years ahead.
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