At the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, the Jets knew their All-Pro defensive tackle, Quinnen Williams, wanted a new contract. And even though he’s under contract for the next three years, he wanted that next payday to come before Week 1 of 2023.
Right before the NFL Draft, it sounded like both sides were trending toward an agreement. But once the Draft was complete, we got wind that they weren’t close to a resolution. And now, Williams has resorted to Twitter to try and force the Jets’ hand.
So, exactly how much is he looking for in his next contract? According to Henry McKenna of FOX Sports, Williams’ camp wants somewhere between $25 and $30 million in annual average salary.
That’d be more than the deals recently signed by Dexter Lawrence and Jeffery Simmons, and below veteran Aaron Donald. So, while Lawrence and Simmons indeed set the market for elite defensive tackles from the 2019 Draft class, Williams feels as though he’s worth more than both of them.
The man has a case after the 2022 season he just produced. New York had one of the NFL’s top defenses, and Williams was a big reason why. He accumulated 12 sacks, 55 total tackles, and two forced fumbles. Williams earned a Pro Bowl selection, First-Team All-Pro honors, and finished seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Some silver lining with this ordeal thus far is that Williams doesn’t want to head elsewhere for his payday. McKenna noted the following, which was told to him by a source:
He loves the Jets. He just wants to get paid. Hopefully it doesn’t get messy.
It’s already gotten messier than anyone wants it to be. Like I said on Monday, while this latest tactic may not get him the exact contract terms he’s looking for, maybe it’ll just motivate both sides to sit down, hammer out the details, and get this done.
And as we’ve seen with other big-time NFL contracts, the annual average value is only part of the story. What matters more are the cap hits and guaranteed money. Simmons and Lawrence are both receiving about $60 million guaranteed, while Donald earned a $95 million guarantee.
Although annual average value seems to be important, you’d have to imagine that another significant stumbling block is how much of Williams’ next contract will be guaranteed. How it’s dispersed is likely also a talking point, especially with Aaron Rodgers (soon-to-be restructured) contract now the Jets’ responsibility.
You can reach Matt Musico at matt.musico@xlmedia.com. You can follow him on Twitter: @mmusico8.