Quinnen Williams has ‘tremendous confidence’ in Aaron Glenn’s Jets course

Quinnen Williams swapped his dread of a rebuild for restored religion within the Jets after spending time round Aaron Glenn. 

Throw a superhero’s cape into the commerce, too. 

The Feb. 9 information that the Glenn-coached Jets had been slicing Aaron Rodgers hit laborious for Williams, who tweeted “one other rebuild yr for me, I assume,” with a thumbs-down emoji. 

However three months later — after the second OTA apply within the third section of voluntary offseason exercises — Williams has a unique outlook. 

“It was an immature factor for me to do in the intervening time — out of feelings, out of frustration,” Williams stated Wednesday afternoon. “I hadn’t talked to Aaron earlier to that. Simply taking a look at it as making an attempt to develop as a pacesetter. Speaking to him and the employees gave me a brilliant, tremendous excited, tremendous, tremendous confidence that we’re stepping into the precise course to win soccer video games and do the issues that I wish to do.” 

What precisely does Williams — the second longest-tenured Jet — wish to accomplish beneath the third head coach and fourth defensive coordinator (Steve Wilks) of his seven-year profession? Begin with getting the workforce into the playoffs for the primary time since 2010. 

“Change the entire narrative of the New York Jets shedding streaks or the playoff [droughts] and various things like that,” Williams stated. “I used to be drafted right here a very long time in the past, and I used to be paid to assist change issues round. And I put on that as a badge of honor and cape to guarantee that earlier than I depart this sport the New York Jets are going to be on high, the New York Jets are going to be the workforce to look at. I type of stay that on daily basis, and I would like everyone round me to be that.” 

Williams is coming off a 3rd straight Professional Bowl season, however he has totaled simply 11.5 sacks over the previous two years — down from the career-high 12 in 2022 that helped him land a four-year, $96 million extension. 

His run protection grade fell to No. 46 amongst defensive tackles, based on Professional Soccer Focus. 

“[I made] a variety of errors, particularly when it comes all the way down to the run sport, block-shedding, extension in my arms, ending my cross rushes, pad degree,” Williams stated of final season. “Various things like that I type of struggled with, I would like to have the ability to get higher at and fine-tune some issues this yr so I generally is a higher participant in these points.” 

The Jets want a dominant Williams to meet Glenn’s message that the brand new regime is “right here to win now.” 

Defensive linemen Haason Reddick, Javon Kinlaw, Solomon Thomas and Takk McKinley left and had been changed by Byron Cowart, Derrick Nnadi and Jay Tufele. Jermaine Johnson is coming off final season’s torn Achilles tendon. 

“I’m nonetheless making an attempt to see the place I may be my finest at and be myself at,” Williams stated. “Having fun with studying my new line of defense coach, new head coach and new defensive coordinator. 

“Simply seeing what they see for me and my future. They’re simply telling me what I’m unhealthy at and what I’m good at, and making an attempt to get on the precise web page.” 

A part of Williams’ renewed optimism stems from the free agent signing of Justin Fields as Rodgers’ alternative. 

Fields had an inaccurate passing day Wednesday, however flashed the athleticism that allowed him to run for 1,143 yards in 2022. 

“I chased him a pair occasions a day and I used to be like, ‘Yeah, he’s quick,’ ” Williams stated. “So I believe that positively brings pleasure. 

“And there’s his perspective on eager to win and wanting to indicate the world that he can do what everyone knows he can do.” 

Glenn, a former Jets star, beforehand addressed Williams’ vital tweet by saying he understands when gamers are upset that teammates are let go, however he desires to maintain emotional reactions in-house.

It’s clear Williams heard Glenn’s message by means of their management talks. 

“I simply know proper now, within the second, it’s stepping into the precise course to win video games by the usual that coach has set for us,” Williams stated. “It’s a protracted method to the primary sport proper now, however I really feel the trail that we’re going goes to achieve success if we simply take heed to him.”