When you’ve made two straight Pro Bowls and solidified yourself as one of the best interior defenders in the NFL, it can be easy to grow complacent with your skill level.
But Quinnen Williams isn’t anywhere close to satisfied.
“I think I’ve been doing a great job of just going in the direction of positivity, just learning every single year,” said the 26-year-old defensive lineman following Wednesday’s walkthrough. “Doing things I need to do to get better every single year. And I just think I’m going to just stay on that same track, stay on the same level.”
After breaking out with 12 sacks, 28 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss in 2022 — good for a First Team All-Pro nod — Williams followed it up with a year that was nearly on par.
Although the tackle’s sack production fell to 5 ½, he collected significantly more pressures (70 vs. 52) and performed even better against the run in 2023, posting a career-best 90.4 Pro Football Focus grade in that department — which led all defensive linemen.
However, Williams wants to find a way to reset the bar, even if it means consulting with voices outside of Florham Park.
“Learn from guys outside of this building, guys inside of this building, coaches,” Williams suggested.
As the former No. 3 overall pick enters his sixth pro season, he’s also been afforded the opportunity to cut his teeth against a revamped offensive line, with new veteran presences like Tyron Smith, Morgan Moses and John Simpson.
In particular, Williams has relished competing against the 26-year-old Simpson, who will likely slot in to start at left guard in his first year with Gang Green.
“Me myself, always trying to learn,” Williams said. “Working against John Simpson, who’s an unbelievable guard and unbelievable challenge every single day when it comes down to pass rushing and getting after Aaron [Rodgers].”
Over the last two years, Williams has feasted while not being a one-man wrecking crew, joined by the likes of Bryce Huff, Jermaine Johnson II, John Franklin-Myers and Solomon Thomas.
But with Huff now an Eagle, Franklin-Myers a Bronco and marquee addition Haason Reddick still mired in a holdout, the Jets’ pass-rushing contingent appears a bit different — and slightly more inexperienced — as the team prepares for its first preseason game against the Commanders on Saturday.
Nevertheless, Williams has been impressed with how the new-look group has coalesced, suggesting there’s no “ceiling” to what the unit can accomplish in 2024.
“You’re seeing guys like Will McDonald, who’s explosive, who’s taking another jump this year to have an explosive year,” Williams said. “You’re seeing guys like Micheal Clemons, known as a power rusher, bringing out finesse rushes and bringing out the jab spikes and the different things like that. And then you see a guy like [Javon] Kinlaw, who’s an unbelievable force, just working on his pass rush game and the different things that he can do at a different level.”
New faces around him or not, Williams is keyed in on making sure his upcoming season — his second on a four-year, $96 million deal — is just as good, if not better, than his previous.
“Anything I can just to be a sponge every single day to get better and just to keep ascending every single year,” Williams said. “That’s really the main focus on my journey, or the future journey of what I want to do.”
