Jets' strange Quincy Williams decision make trade deadline moves look weirder

The NY Jets made the bold decision to not only move superstar cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams at the NFL trade deadline, but they decided to keep impending free agent linebacker Quincy Williams. In light of recent news, that move looks more puzzling.

Williams told the media that he has been benched ahead of Week 10 against the Cleveland Browns. Jamien Sherwood, who started last game on the bench, will be back in the starting lineup, while fifth-round rookie Kiko Mauigoa will likely start in Williams' place.

Williams surprisingly confirmed that coaches told him he has been underperforming since training camp, though he also vowed to win his job back. This is a fall from grace, and it confirms that Aaron Glenn likely has no interest in bringing back Williams at the start of the 2026 season.

This move also raises a very important question. If the Jets told Williams on Monday (before the trade deadline, mind you) that he wasn't going to be the starter, why would they continue to keep him on the roster, especially after choosing to part ways with his brother?

Jets bench starting LB Quincy Williams after refusing to trade him

Williams has 22 tackles and 1.5 sacks in four games this year, but he had graded out as one of the worst run-defending linebackers in the league this year. Despite his struggles in coverage, Sherwood has been solid in that area, and this coaching staff clearly values that skill in their linebackers.

Jets fans will get to see a ton of Mauigoa, who followed up a near-elite performance against Denver with two stinkers against Carolina and Cincinnati, in the coming days. That "play the kids" directive makes sense, but why didn't they just rip the Band-Aid off and get rid of Williams?

The big mistake Glenn and Darren Mougey made coming into the season was overvaluing the team's current roster and not realizing how many of their best players were good specifically because of how well they fit into Robert Saleh's scheme. Williams just wasn't a fit for what Glenn wants, which makes the lack of a trade even more surprising.

Williams will likely be fine if he goes to a defense that lets him fly around in the same way the Jets did, but the combination of the youth movement and his own fit may be what forces him out in free agency.