Getty New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers warming up in practice and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams walking off of the field after an NFL game.
Each of the 32 NFL franchises is enjoying a final break before training camp hits in the month of July.
However, the New York Jets have plenty of work to do before the season arrives. Field Yates of ESPN said Gang Green has “one last offseason roster move” to complete.
Yates said defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and quarterback Aaron Rodgers “need new contracts.”
Williams Expected to Land Monster Contract Extension
Yates said the former Alabama standout has “emerged as one of the best players in the league.”
Williams is heading into the last year of his rookie contract and is set to make $9.5 million in base salary in 2023.
He held out the entire voluntary portion of the offseason and the mandatory portion was canceled by head coach Robert Saleh.
Jets analyst Joe Caporoso of “Badlands” predicted that Williams will land a new deal “between July 4th and [training] camp starting.”
Several defensive tackles signed massive contracts this offseason and Yates believes Williams’ new deal should be worth “at least $22.5 million per year.”
Only four defensive tackles in the NFL currently make at least $22.5 million per season according to Over The Cap:
- Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, $31.6 million
- Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans, $23.5 million
- Daron Payne, Washington Commanders, $22.5 million
- Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants, $22.5 million
Rodgers’ Contract Requires More Tinkering From Jets
Prior to being traded from the Green Bay Packers to the Jets, Rodgers altered his contract to make the trade happen.
Rodgers is owed $108.7 million over the next two calendar years and that includes “$101 million in guarantees”, according to Roster Management.
A-Rod “dropped his 2023 salary to $1.2 million” and he pushed the rest into 2024, per ESPN. According to Spotrac, he is set to receive $107.6 million in yearly cash next season.
Yates said Rodgers won’t be making “that little” in 2023 nor will he make that much “next year.” He said the two sides “will renegotiate revised contract terms in time.”
So it isn’t a matter of if but rather when this Rodgers deal is going to be reworked ahead of the season. The same can’t be said for the Quinnen situation.
He is under contract for 2023 and the Jets have the franchise tag in their back pocket. General manager Joe Douglas technically doesn’t have to extend Williams if he doesn’t want to. The Jets have team control over Williams for the foreseeable future.
However, if Douglas chooses not to that could create a potentially contentious situation in the locker room ahead of an all-in type of season which could prove detrimental.
Although the expectation from everything I’ve heard indicates both a Rodgers restructure and Williams extension is expected to happen before the start of the season.
Which situation happens first will be interesting to watch. In theory, Gang Green has the ultimate flexibility.
The Jets could make Quinnen’s cap hit very small in 2023 on a new contract allowing the team to eat more of Rodgers’ cap hit this season. Or they could do the opposite by making Q’s cap hit ginormous this season and small in other years.
Gang Green has the fifth most cap space in the NFL with $23 million, per Over The Cap.
