Jets Could Lose $18 Million All-Pro After Tricky Season

The New York Jets' defense has taken some heat this season.

New York is allowing the third-most points per game in the National Football League at 28.4 points per game. The struggles led to the Jets cutting ties with former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after the team's Week 15, 48-20 loss against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jets followed up with a 29-6 loss against the New Orleans Saints in their first game after moving on from Wilks.

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Despite the roller coaster of a season, one guy who has played well on defense is linebacker Quincy Williams. He's played in 11 games this season -- including 10 starts -- and has six passes defended, a career high 3.5 sacks, 74 total tackles, and five quarterback hits. His future with the Jets isn't guaranteed, though. Williams signed a three-year, $18 million deal, which will expire at the end of the 2025 season.

The Jets All-Pro will be a free agent

Dec 14, 2025; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) scores a touchdown against New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams (56) during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images | Morgan Tencza-Imagn Images

ESPN's Rich Cimini reported that Williams is "open" to returning to New York, but "there's a chance the Jets will move on."

"A look at what's happening around the New York Jets: Williams a goner? Jeremy Ruckert and Josh Myers received contract extensions recently," Cimini wrote. "Is there another one on the horizon among the Jets' pending free agents? It won't be Quincy Williams -- at least not now, if ever. While the former All-Pro linebacker is open to returning to the Jets, he said scheme fit will be a huge factor. In other words, he's in wait-and-see mode...

"Williams wouldn't say the current system is a bad fit for him, but he acknowledged that defensive coordinator Steve Wilks -- fired last Monday -- asked him to do 'a lot of different stuff' than he did previously in the Robert Saleh scheme...

"It takes two to do a deal, and there's a chance the Jets will move on from Williams, who will be 30 next season. Like a lot of things around the team, it's up in the air."

There was a time earlier in the campaign when Williams was a trade candidate ahead of the deadline. He wasn't moved and then it was shared that Williams was briefly benched. Despite that, Williams has actually been a bright spot. Since the trade deadline in early November, Williams has averaged 7.4 tackles per game and has two sacks in seven games. If he decides to walk, he'll leave a big hole for the Jets to fill.

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