The Jets and star defensive tackle Quinnen Williams are not close to an agreement on a contract extension, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini.
Williams is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is set to make $9.6 million next year after his fifth-year option was picked up by the Jets last offseason. He had made it clear at the end of the season that he wanted a new deal before the team's offseason workouts, and has not attended the voluntary programs.
The 25-year-old would become an unrestricted free agent following the 2023 season if an extension isn't worked out between the two sides. Although, the Jets could also place the franchise tag on him for the 2024 season and continue to try to strike a deal.
"Everybody knows I’m a team guy. Everybody knows that I believe in the team and want to put the team first and different things like that, but I do want to get a contract done before the offseason program," Williams said after the season.
"I feel like I deserve to get a contract done before the offseason program just because I did everything right on the field, everything right off the field, and just having the organization behind me just like I’m behind them to show that they really support me and different things like that is an amazing thing for me. I just want to be compensated for what I am.”
Williams earned First-Team All-Pro honors after a dominant 2022 season and was named to his first Pro Bowl. The former No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft recorded a career-high 12.0 sacks, 55 combined tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 28 QB hits, four passes defended, four forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery over 16 games.
Jets GM Joe Douglas said after the season that the teams believes "there’s a lot of upside for him" and wants to keep Williams in New York. Douglas then said before the NFL Draft on April 25 that discussions with Williams’ reps were in a good place, and he was “optimistic and hopeful” a deal will get done.
Cimini noted that "the second-contract market for top defensive tackles is clearly formed" after the Tennessee Titans reached an extension with Jeffery Simmons (four-years, $94 million, $23.5 million per year) and the Giants agreed to a four-year extension with Dexter Lawrence worth $90 million ($22.5 million per season) on May 4.