Jets DL Quinnen Williams headed to IR, season over
NEW YORK — New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams is headed to injured reserve, ending his breakout second NFL season.
Coach Adam Gase said Wednesday that Williams remains in the concussion protocol after leaving the team’s first victory of the season last Sunday at Los Angeles against the Rams. Williams also is dealing with a neck injury, which is what will land him on IR.
“I don’t know exactly,” Gase said when asked the nature of Williams’ neck ailment. “I just know that it’s probably going to keep him out the rest of the year.”
Gase said Williams would need to clear the concussion protocol before the team officially places him on IR.
Williams has a teamleading seven sacks, 14 quarterback hits and 10 tackles for loss while rating as one of the NFL’s top interior defensive linemen this season. The No. 3 overall draft pick last year has 55 total tackles, two forced fumbles and three passes defensed.
That came after an upand-down rookie season during which Williams played through an ankle injury.
“He’s done a good job, obviously,” Gase said. “I felt like he had a good run of games. I felt like his consistency was pretty good. There were a few games where he kind of disappeared, but it didn’t happen a lot. Last year, there would be a couple of games in a row where you didn’t really feel him.
“But this year, a high majority of the games, you felt him. If you were on the other team, you felt him, whether you were playing quarterback or in the run game.”
Williams could be replaced for the final two games of the season by a combination John FranklinMyers, Trevon Coley and rookie Jabari Zuniga. The Jets also have Tanzel Smart, who has been active for two games, on the practice squad.
In other injuries, Gase said backup cornerback Javelin Guidry will not practice with a knee injury.
The 1-13 Jets will be a bit short-handed at inside linebacker Sunday against the 10-4 Cleveland Browns after Harvey Langi was placed on IR with a neck injury. Langi had started the last six games opposite Neville Hewitt after Avery Williamson was traded to Pittsburgh and provided some playmaking spark on New York’s defense.
Bryce Hager is the only other inside linebacker listed on the active roster. Noah Dawkins, Sharif Finch and Brady Sheldon are also on the practice squad and have experience at the position.
“Yeah, we’re running thin,” Gase said. “Those practice squad guys will probably get an opportunity.”