BLUE ATTITUDE

Williams elated to be wanted by his new team

Leonard Williams is treating the final year of his contract as one big audition for free agency. But if the Giants are ready to cast him as a big part of their future by offering an extension before season’s end? “I’d definitely be open to it if it comes up,” Williams said Wednesday, after his first practice since he was sent from the Jets to the Giants in the first trade ever made between the teams. The Jets determined Williams was not worth their continued investment, after he failed to live up to the expectations that come with being the No. 6 pick in the draft. The fifthyear defensive lineman has 17 sacks in 71 career games, including just two in his past 18. The Giants — who dealt a third-round pick in 2020 and a conditional fifthround pick in 2021 to get Williams, with no guarantees he stays beyond this season — risked looking foolish if he doesn’t re-sign. Headed nowhere with a 2-6 record, they could’ve kept their assets and pursued Williams when free agency opens in March. “I got drafted there and they didn’t want to keep me,” Williams said, “but this team definitely showed interest and wanted to go out of their way to get me over here. I think it speaks volumes. I have to prove to them why they should want me here.” Williams, 25, is making $14.2 million on the team option year of his rookie contract, and the Jets kicked in $4 million of the remaining $6 million to help make the Giants line up with the salary cap. He is expected to command about $10 million per year on his next multi-year deal. Because the Giants revealed their level of interest by giving up assets for an eight-game rental, Williams has the leverage in negotiations. If Williams is re-signed before free agency begins, the fifth-round pick in 2021 would bump up to a fourth-rounder for the Jets. “There hasn’t been any talk yet,” Williams said. “I’m assuming something is going to be talked about soon or near the end of the season. They know this is my contract year.”

Williams heard rumors he was on the trade block but was pleasantly surprised by his destination. From a practical standpoint, he doesn’t have to hire movers or dog walkers because he is leaving town.

“It’s a fresh start, new locker room, new teammates, new coaches, everything like that,” Williams said. “It’s a chance to show everybody over here what I’ve got.”

Maybe it’s just what Williams needs to finally cash in on his potential. With the Jets, he was viewed through the prism as another in a long line of first-round draft busts.

Giants general manager Dave Gettleman has not addressed the media since July, but coach Pat Shurmur indicated he wants Williams here in the future.

“I’m confident he will be because I really liked him as a player before we brought him in,” Shurmur said. “I think we added an outstanding player to our group. As a coach, I look at these deals one at a time, and it’s a good deal for us, especially from my perspective.”

Williams is experienced playing all three defensive line positions, currently occupied by three starters age 25 or younger: Dexter Lawrence, Dalvin Tomlinson and B.J. Hill. He is familiar with coordinator James Bettcher’s scheme because it is similar to the 3-4 defense he played in under former Jets coach Todd Bowles.

Williams has 17 pressures and seven quarterback hits but zero sacks this season, according to Pro Football Focus. Former Giants pass-rusher Olivier Vernon — traded to the Browns in the offseason — was seen as an underachiever because his pressures were disproportionate to his sacks. Both were good run defenders, too.

“Getting pressure is a good thing,” Shurmur said. “Shoot, he had a sack last week against Jacksonville. I guess it came off the books [because of a penalty], but when you watch the tape, it was a sack.”

Williams also forced an intentional grounding penalty against the Patriots when he could’ve had a sack. But the Giants didn’t trade for near-sacks.

“Sometimes it’s just little things that people don’t see,” Williams said. “I am getting the pressure. I am getting there. It’s just a matter of when it clicks, it’s going to click.” rdunleavy@nypost.com