COMMENTARY: No Quinnen Williams for Voluntary Workouts, No Problem
Key word: voluntary.
Labeled voluntary in the NFL collective-bargaining agreement, off-season team workouts are not required activity for any player.
Sure, it's nice when everyone shows up and works together at the team facility in April, but 100 percent attendance cannot be expected, especially for healthy players.
Physical contact is not permitted during Phase 1 and the Jets have continuity at defensive coordinator, so exactly how beneficial are on-site April workouts for a player such as Quinnen Williams?
What is he going to accomplish at the team facility that he cannot achieve while training privately at this juncture?
The answer is nothing.
The fact that Williams, who is heading into the fifth-year option season on his rookie contract, will not attend the opening phase of the off-season program is one of the least-surprising moves from around the league.
As anyone in his situation would, Williams likely wants to be paid fair market value for an All-Pro caliber defensive tackle in the prime of his career. The Jets are likely pleased with the performance of their first-round pick and see him as an important piece moving forward.
His off-season absence should not affect the likelihood that a deal eventually gets done with Gang Green. Although it may require creativity, there are certainly ways to structure a contract extension that won't crush the Jets salary cap-wise starting in 2024.
Another variable, which should work in Gang Green's favor, is that Williams has already seen the Jets' organization negotiate in good faith. His brother Quincy signed a new three-year deal to stay with the team at the start of the league year.
So, when the click-thirsty Mike Florios of the world start sounding the alarm because an All-Pro doesn't show up for voluntary workouts, don't give them the website traffic they are seeking.
Right now, Jets' fans should be enjoying draft debates while keeping an eye on the Aaron Rodgers trade negotiations.
Quinnen Williams' absence should register about a 1.2 on the worry scale. If he stages an official holdout come July, then it may be time to sweat a little.
As for now, sit back and enjoy the fact that the Jets are still undefeated in 2023.
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