Jets Could Sign ‘Bargain’ $17 Million OL; Help Revive His Career
Amatch made in heaven.
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report argued that the New York Jets could help revive the career of Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman Jonah Williams this offseason.
Williams, 26, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in March. 2023 was the last year of his $17.6 million rookie contract.
The former No. 11 overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft never lived up to the “perennial All-Pro ceiling” coming out of Alabama, according to Kay, but something clicked in his contract year.
For the first time in his career, Williams completed a full season by starting in all 17 games.
The Key to Williams Returning to Form Potentially With the Jets
In Williams’ first four seasons with the Bengals, he totaled over 2,779 snaps exclusively at left tackle. However, this past offseason Cincinnati signed Orlando Brown Jr to a massive $64 million contract to be the team’s new left tackle.
This bothered Williams so much so that he requested a trade from the team. Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and Williams rescinded his trade request and moved over to right tackle.
The former Alabama product was fine at right tackle this past season, but according to the analytics, he performed much better when he was playing left tackle.
Williams’ Pro Football Focus grades at right tackle in 2023: 58.5 overall, 57.9 pass block, and 54.0 run block.
In 2021 Williams had a career year on the blindside according to those same PFF grades: 77.1 overall, 68.8 pass block, and 79.8 run block.
If Williams joined the Jets he would have an opportunity to return to the left tackle spot. The Jets’ starting tackle tandem from 2023 are scheduled to be free agents [Duane Brown and Mekhi Becton].
