A match 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 Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and Williams rescinded his trade request and moved over to right tackle.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].
Jets Could Land Williams on a Bargain Deal on the Open Market
Spotrac’s market value projections have Williams landing a deal that will pay him $10.8 million annually. That figure would make him the No. 17 highest-paid left tackle in the NFL, per Over The Cap.
The full contract projection is a four-year deal for $43.4 million.
Normally in free agency, you have to overpay to land talent. That is especially true when you talk about the premium positions like offensive line.
Kay explained that Williams’ contract projection would be “a bargain, especially if a cash-strapped potential contender like the New York Jets—a squad that desperately needs offensive line upgrades—is able to land him on the open market.”
According to Spotrac, the Jets are below league average in available NFL salary cap space heading into the 2024 offseason. They have $7.5 million in cap space which ranks No. 20 in the league.
The key to getting the most out of Williams appears to be a return to the blind side.
“It’s not only possible, but rather likely that Williams returns to form if he signs a contract to play left tackle for 2024 and beyond”, Kay explained.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, the Jets have two massive voids at both offensive tackle spots. Williams could plug and play at left tackle which could solve the team’s biggest issue pressing this team this offseason.
