Leonard Williams Open to Accepting a Restructure

But should the Giants do it and if so, how long should they go for?

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Jan 26, 2023 8:00 AM EST

In this story:

New York Giants

Editor's Note: We continue our series of takeaways from Giants' Exit Day (also known as "Baggy Day" in which we review what was said and offer some thoughts about what it means for the short and long term.

New York Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams probably realizes that carrying a $32.26 million cap hit for 2023 doesn't bod well for his future with the team.

Of course, it's not Williams' fault that the Giants had to shuffle money around, which inflated the contract, nor was it his fault that injuries finally forced him to miss his first career games this season.

Williams knows that the business aspect of the game is unforgiving and that there is a possibility of his having a bull's eye on his back if general manager Joe Schoen decided that his $32 million cap hit is just too rich for the team to carry.

“I try to let things like that play out,” Williams said. “I believe the plan is the plan, and things are going to work out the way they work out. I did my best this year. I fought through injuries and played my hardest. I’m sure I’ll end up somewhere, if not here. I want to play as long as possible.”

While he said he "would probably consider" a pay cut to reduce a cap hit that includes an $18 million base salary. He quickly added that he'd have to discuss the subject with his agent and the Giants.

Williams admitted that he enjoys being a Giants, especially since he gets to line up next to Dexter Lawrence, who will surely be a piece of the Giants for years to come.

“I want to play with Dex as long as possible," Williams said. "Playing with someone like that helps me individually, and we help each other and the defense when we have two stout guys up front.”

Whether that's financially possible--the Giants are currently projected to have $42,843,422 in effective cap space for 2023, the third most space in the league, but they're going to need a good chunk of that for their own free agents as well as some new faces--remains to be seen.

Pat's Perspectives

For as good of a player as Williams has been, a question that the Giants have to ask themselves when they evaluate him is how many more prime years he might be able to give them.

Two years ago, he earned his big payday by recording 11.5 sacks. He followed that up with a 6.5 sack performance, and this year, he registered just 2.5 sacks in 12 games played, his lowest sack total since 2017, when he had two sacks).

But since sacks aren't the only number by which to gauge a player's production, let's look at some other stats, such as a career-low 45 tackles, five tackles for a loss (matching last year's total), and only 12 quarterback hits, his second-lowest career total.

Williams, who just finished his ninth NFL season, dealt with injuries that, for the first time in his career, forced him to miss games. The knee and neck injuries he dealt with come a year after he finished the 2021 season with a painful triceps injury that he tried to fight through.

While injuries will happen, it's fair to wonder if they conclude that the last two years are a sign of what's to come. The answer will determine the team's next steps.