How much should the NY Jets offer Quinnen Williams?

By securing Aaron Rodgers the NY Jets have answered the biggest question of the 2023 offseason, but one major crossroads still looms large. All-Pro DT Quinnen Williams is due for a contract extension with a NY Jets regime that hasn't signed a single draft pick to an extension in four years.

In the last ten years, there haven't been too many NY Jets to receive a second deal, and the Jets seem to have extraordinarily bad luck by either letting guys develop into Pro Bowlers on other teams (Demario Davis, Geno Smith) or by making significant investments in guys that got demolished by injuries (Mo Wilkerson, Quincy Enunwa).

During the Joe Douglas regime, he has become infamous for signing 'shrewd deals' with players and cautiously spending money, making sure not to overpay anyone. The only Jet draft picks to be retained by Douglas were Jordan Jenkins and Nathan Shepherd, both 3rd round picks who were given one more year after their rookie deal expired to fill depth before going elsewhere.

The most recent draft pick to want an extension was Marcus Maye, who looked like a stud on the rise for a little bit. The Jets franchise tagged him and he played well before tearing his Achilles in 2021 and he signed a lucrative deal with the Saints last offseason. Hindsight, always 20/20, shows us that the NY Jets probably dodged a bullet there.

Of course, the highest-profile issue with a Jet draft pick under Douglas's watch was Jamal Adams. In 2018, Adams erupted with a breakout season, earning him his first Pro Bowl appearance, and a Second-Team All-Pro nod. He followed that up with a similarly special season, including a First-Team All-Pro and another Pro Bowl appearance. He was one of the best safeties in the league in 2019.

We know what happened with Jamal Adams. Quinnen Williams has followed up a 2021 season that saw him earn a Pro Bowl Alternate spot with a 2022 season that gave him an actual Pro Bowl nod and his first First-Team All-Pro appearance. The argument can certainly be made that Quinnen is one of the best defensive tackles in the league at this time.

That is where the similarities end, however, as safety and defensive tackle are two entirely different positions with extremely different markets. Also, Quinnen isn't publicly blasting his head coach or demanding a trade or any of the media drama that accompanied Adams' negotiations. For the most part, Quinnen has been very professional about his desired contract.

NY Jets: Assessing the market for defensive tackles

Quinnen Williams is not alone - three other defensive tackles got major extensions on their rookie deals this offseason. Two of them were drafted after he was in the same draft, and then the third was drafted 13th overall in the preceding draft in 2018. If this doesn't set the market with three credible examples of peers, then nothing will.

Jeffery Simmons (19th pick of 2019) was first with $94 million for four years with the Titans, then Daron Payne (13th pick of 2018) was next with $90 million for four years with the Commanders, then Dexter Lawrence (17th pick of 2019) was just recently re-signed by the Giants for $90 million for four years. All three men are set to earn either $22.5 million or $23.5 million annually starting in 2024.

Williams, the third overall pick of the 2019 draft, may point out the fact that he is the only person mentioned in this entire article to be named first-team All-Pro in 2022 and scoff at the idea that these are his peers - but look at the numbers:

I personally prefer to evaluate a player's entire body of work (work ethic, coachability, game tape, etc.) than just staring at numbers but these contract amounts are numbers so we can safely assume numbers are playing a huge part in these negotiations. Can an objective observer look at these numbers from the last two seasons and say Quinnen is that much further along than his peers?

Here's a much smaller table, looking at accolades:

It should probably also be noted that the Jets are the only team listed (Titans, Commanders, Giants) that enter the season with high odds to win the Super Bowl. This 'win-now' attitude may encourage the front office to avoid tying up large chunks of money and remain flexible, but there are plenty of ways to stay under the cap.

The fact is, good teams invest in foundational players for long periods of time in order to succeed. Quinnen is the most productive piece of a front four that is so crucial to the success of Saleh's defensive scheme. Without the front four getting pressure, the entire defense falls apart as the opposing QB is able to sit back and pick apart the zone coverage.

Whether creating this pressure or stuffing runs for loss, there was no NY Jet better on the field than Quinnen Williams. He is not a 'dime a dozen' type of player, he is a game-wrecker who will only be 25 years old for the majority of this upcoming season.

By finally ending this drought of second contracts awarded to draft picks, the likes of Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall can stay motivated to give their all to the organization knowing that the organization will invest back in them. If they see Williams, the All-Pro catalyst of one of the league's best defenses, walk away without a deal, then what could they possibly do to earn a deal when their time comes?

This isn't a question that Douglas or Robert Saleh should have to answer - quite frankly because it should never get to the point where it's asked. Pay Quinnen that $22- $24.5 million dollar range for four years and secure that elite defense for the entirety of Sauce's rookie contract. Show those young sophomores that at One Jets Drive, hard work certainly pays off.