NY Jets GM Joe Douglas optimistic about extending Quinnen Williams

NY Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke to reporters at the NFL Combine on Tuesday, and one of the topics he touched upon was the future of defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

Douglas spoke about the progress the Jets have made on extension talks with their star defensive stalwart, sounding very optimistic that a deal would be reached in the near future.

Douglas told reporters that the Jets have had "several good discussions" with Williams and his agent, Nicole Lynn, and that they feel "really good" about where they are in terms of negotiations.

Reading between the lines, Douglas came across as someone who seems confident that the two sides will work out an extension this offseason. That, more than anything, was probably the biggest takeaway from Douglas' press conference.

It was the regular "GM speak" when it came to Zach Wilson and the quarterback situation, but when it came to Williams, Douglas openly sounded optimistic. That should have Jets fans very hopeful that an extension will be announced sooner rather than later.

Extending Quinnen Williams is a no-brainer for the NY Jets

Williams previously told reporters following the Jets' final game of the season back in January that he was expecting an extension this offseason. If a deal is not reached prior to the start of voluntary OTAs in May, Williams has insisted that he will not show up.

The hope, and expectation, is that it doesn't get to that point, however. Williams proved in 2022 that he is one of the best defensive players in the NFL and worthy of whatever deal he will eventually receive.

The former No. 3 overall pick was one of just four players to receive first-place votes in the Defensive Player of the Year race as he earned his first career Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro selections.

Williams is not only a top-three (perhaps better) defensive tackle in football, but he's among the elite defensive players in the league. Pro Football Focus recently ranked him as the No. 27 player in the NFL, and you could easily argue that the ranking is a bit low.

Williams finished with a career-high 12 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 28 QB hits in 2022. Only Chris Jones of the Kansas City Chiefs finished with more sacks among interior defensive linemen.

Quinnen Williams should be playing football in New York for a very long time. The Jets finally have a star player to build around — now it's time to pay him.