In 2023, New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams earned a first-team All-Pro nod. He followed it up in 2024 by being ranked the No. 10 best linebacker in the NFL.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler released his top 10 off-ball linebacker rankings based on a panel of coaches, league executives, and scouts.
“Zero to 100 closing speed sideline to sideline,” an anonymous NFL defensive coach told Fowler. “Will strike you. Dog.”
Fowler revealed that Williams received “several” votes from the panel as a top-three linebacker in football this year.
Williams, 28, is entering the final year of his $18 million contract. This offseason, the Jets paid Jamien Sherwood $45 million, making him one of the top-five highest-paid linebackers in football.
Williams’ future with the team beyond 2025 appears murky. ESPN’s Rich Cimini even discussed possible trade rumors for 2025 regarding Williams on his podcast earlier this offseason.
Before Pulling the Trigger, Jets Need to Think Long and Hard About This
It’s a difficult situation.
Sherwood is already one of the top five highest-paid linebackers in football. Williams and his representation can make a strong case that he is better than Sherwood and thus deserves more money.
Williams has been a first-team All-Pro; Sherwood has not. The former Murray State product has multiple years of proven production, Sherwood does not.
Only one team in the NFL is currently paying two off-ball linebackers at least $10 million per season, per Over The Cap. That is the Chicago Bears.
Tremaine Edmunds ($18 million per year) and T.J. Edwards ($10 million per year).
However, Williams is unlikely to be satisfied with a $10 million per year salary; he will likely be seeking at least $15 million but probably more.
Would the Jets be willing to be the first team in NFL history to invest that amount of resources into the off-ball linebacker position?
The answer is unclear.
This Williams situation is giving off D.J. Reed vibes from 2024. Before the season, it was sort of accepted by all parties that Reed was entering his final season with the team before the year got underway.
The Jets had already paid Michael Carter II, a Sauce Gardner extension was on the horizon, and it felt unlikely the team would also pay Reed.
Williams Criticism Doesn’t Seem to Make Sense
The veteran linebacker was ranked as a top 10 player at his position. Fowler revealed the reason that he wasn’t ranked even higher.
“He’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player, elite speed and burst to close, plays physical and bigger than he is — but to be elite, you have to consistently take the ball away, and he hasn’t done that,” an anonymous veteran NFL defensive coach told Fowler.
That isn’t exactly true.
Michael Nania of Jets X-Factor revealed on social media that “Quincy Williams has a combined total of 10 forced fumbles (6) and recovered fumbles (4) over the last two seasons, most among linebackers.”
Quincy Williams has a combined total of 10 forced fumbles (6) and recovered fumbles (4) over the last two seasons
Most among linebackers pic.twitter.com/s2kNsHK97F
— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) July 15, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Jamien Sherwood didn’t earn a place in the top 10, but he was one of 11 off-ball linebackers to be mentioned in the “honorable mention” category.
“Ascending player. He’s a bullet. Was one of my favorite [pending] free agents back in March.” — an anonymous NFL personnel evaluator told Fowler.
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