Jets DT Quinnen Williams makes cryptic comment on contract talks

New York Jets GM Joe Douglas commented on the team’s contract talks with Quinnen Williams, and Williams responded

New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke to the media on Tuesday. Douglas was mostly pressed about the Aaron Rodgers trade, but he also touched on the team’s contract negotiations with defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.

When asked about the status of New York’s talks with Williams about a contract extension, Douglas said he and the Jets have had “a lot of positive discussions” with Williams’ agent Nicole Lynn, and that he feels the negotiations are “trending in a good place.” He concluded his short answer by saying he would describe his feelings as “optimistic and hopeful.”

Joe Douglas says the Jets are “optimistic and hopeful” on getting a deal done with Quinnen Williams pic.twitter.com/HPn04wRSGc

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) April 25, 2023

Williams responded to Douglas’ comments by tweeting the word “optimistic” in quotations, alongside a GIF of himself sipping a cup of tea. Decide for yourself what he meant by this.

“Optimistic” https://t.co/0ZeL7P0Mec pic.twitter.com/UmCbFUxhjb

— Quinnen Williams (@QuinnenWilliams) April 25, 2023

Williams is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract after being drafted by the Jets with the third overall pick in the 2019 draft. He is due for a $9.59 million cap hit

It’s been a busy summer on the defensive tackle market. Quite a few lucrative contracts were signed by top-tier tackles, setting the table for Williams to clear them all. Tennessee’s Jeffery Simmons led the way with a four-year, $94 million deal that includes $59.3 million in guarantees (per Spotrac), making him the second-highest paid DT behind only Aaron Donald.

In 2022, Simmons was a second-team All-Pro with 7.5 sacks while Williams was a first-team All-Pro with 12.0 sacks. Williams’ camp is likely seeking to exceed Simmons’ deal. Will the Jets oblige? That is the million-dollar question – or, more accurately, the nearly-$100 million question.

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