New York Jets receive encouraging news regarding Quinnen Williams

The New York Jets were dealt some good news on Monday when it was reported that rookie first-round pick Quinnen Williams is expected to return this week.

The New York Jets haven’t exactly had the best luck with injuries this season. Every new report that comes out seems to dig the team deeper into a pit of injured misery. But the recent news regarding rookie first-round pick Quinnen Williams is certainly encouraging.

In his press conference on Monday afternoon, head coach Adam Gase detailed the latest updates on the long list of injured Jets players. And while the updates regarding Sam Darnold, C.J. Mosley, and Jordan Jenkins weren’t too promising, Williams’ update is a lot more optimistic.

Gase told reporters that Williams would be “good to go” this Sunday when the team returns home to take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Williams had been dealing with an ankle injury suffered in the team’s Week 1 opener against the Buffalo Bills. And after missing around two and a half games of action, it looks as though Williams is 100% and ready to return.

That’s good news for a Jets team in need of any positivity in regards to injuries. The hope was that the team’s Week 4 bye would help return the roster to full health ahead of Week 5, but many of the injured players still seem a ways away from a return.

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That said, it’s certainly encouraging to see Williams return.

The Jets have high hopes for Williams who the team selected with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. After a quiet preseason and limited snaps in Week 1, Jets fans are undoubtedly eager to see their highly-touted rookie in action.

But he’ll likely have to fight for playing time early on.

Williams was already not getting looks with the starters in Week 1 and his two-week absence certainly didn’t help matters. The likes of Kyle Phillips and Folorunso Fatukasi have stepped up and impressed in his place as a part of the defensive line rotation.

However, with both Leonard Williams and Henry Anderson off to slow starts themselves, it might be wise to give the rookie some extra snaps — be it at defensive tackle or defensive end.

If anything, we could see veteran Steve McLendon receive fewer snaps even if he has been performing well this season.

Either way, the snaps will come. Now it will all be about Williams making the impact that the Jets coaches and fans alike are expecting.

Fully healthy and ready to return, look for Quinnen Williams to return with a vengeance in Week 5.