Jets Place Quinnen Williams on COVID-19 List

New York Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams was placed on the COVID-19 list amid an outbreak and is out for Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Just when it looked like the Jets' COVID-19 outbreak couldn't get any worse, another key contributor entered COVID protocols just 90 minutes before kickoff on Sunday.

Star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is the latest player to land on New York's reserve/COVID-19 list, the team announced Sunday morning. He'll be unavailable for Gang Green's Week 16 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

With Williams out, the Jets elevated defensive lineman Freedom Akinmoladun from the club's practice squad.

Williams has been battling a shoulder injury recently, but is still putting together a solid season. Through 14 games, Williams has six sacks, tied with defensive end John Franklin-Myers for the most by any Jets defender in 2021. He's also added 50 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hits.

The tackle joins a gigantic group of players that have been impacted by Gang Green's COVID outbreak this week, all unable to suit up on Sunday.

Not only is Jets head coach Robert Saleh out with the virus, but Franklin-Myers, left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, safety Ashtyn Davis, cornerback Michael Carter II, defensive tackle Folorunso Fatukasi and more are all on New York's COVID list.

In fact, if you include those on the practice squad, New York has 18 different players on their COVID list as of Sunday morning, according to the team's website. 

READ: Ron Middleton Is Living Out His Head Coaching Dream During Jets' COVID-19 Outbreak

Specifically on the defensive line, New York is missing a slew of impact players. For a team that has been unable to stop the run all season long—the Jets have allowed 183-plus rushing yards in each of their last three games—look for Jacksonville to pound the rock, utilizing running back James Robinson and quarterback Trevor Lawrence on the ground. 

MORE:

• Jets Inactives vs. Jaguars: Jamison Crowder and a COVID-19 Outbreak
• Jets-Jaguars Prediction: Which Rookie Quarterback Leads Their Team to Victory?
• Robert Saleh Reveals Why He Chose Ron Middleton to Fill in as Interim Head Coach

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