Quinnen Williams, arguably the best player on the Jets this season, told reporters on Monday that if he doesn’t have a new contract by the time voluntary workouts roll around in the coming offseason, he will sit out until a deal is worked out, and would even consider skipping mandatory OTAs if it got that far.
Williams was nearly a unanimous choice to be the team’s MVP this season, as Robert Saleh told reporters after Williams received the honor, and is a critical part of the team’s defense that went from one of the worst in football to one of the best in the span of one season.
So, how will the front office respond to Williams’ declaration?
“Obviously, we all saw the year Quinnen had,” general manager Joe Douglas said on Monday. “You can’t say enough good things about not only the player and what he brings in terms of playing the run, rushing the passer, the type of teammate and caliber person he is. Ultimately, Quinnen is a big part of our success this year. We’re going to get together as a group and go over our plan…and then move forward.”
Williams would be playing on his fifth-year option next season, with a pay of $9.5 million, but after logging 55 tackles and a team-high 12 sacks this season, he believes he deserves a bigger payday, and more of a commitment from the franchise. But Douglas didn’t respond to Williams’ declaration with equal clarity, though it’s obvious that the team will work toward a deal to keep their star in town.
“We're definitely going to do what's in the best interest of the team and the organization,” Douglas said.
Follow Ryan Chichester on Twitter: @ryanchichester1
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