FLORHAM PARK, NJ – New York Jets defensive end Quinnen Williams, who has established himself as one of the NFL’s best young linemen, ends the season with a concussion and a neck injury.
Williams, 23, will be placed in the injured reserve as soon as he clears the league’s concussion protocol, according to coach Adam Gase.
The concussion came late in the third quarter of Sunday’s shocking upset at the Los Angeles Rams, which probably cost the Jets general election no. 1 in the 2021 NFL Draft. Williams, caught in the room as he headed to the locker room for an evaluation, was seen spilling over the edge.
Williams, the third overall in 2019, was one of the few bright spots this season for the Jets (1-13). After a year without a light debut, he became a disruptive presence on the defensive line. He leads the team in sacks (seven) and defender shots (14) and ranks among the league leaders in the main stop-run metrics, according to NFL Next Gen Statistics.
“On Sunday, you saw what kind of impact it had – a ton of TFLs [tackles for loss], was in their back field and created pressure, “Gase said.
Gase said Williams “disappeared” in some games, “but not much happened this year. Last year, I felt that there would be a few games in a row where you didn’t really feel it. this year, I felt like the vast majority of the game you felt on it. If you were on the other team, you felt it whether you played as a defender or in the running game. “
Without Williams, the Jets defense will be vulnerable on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns (10-4), whose third-place rush attack is led by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.
The jets were also placed inside the IR by defender Harvey Langi (neck). Between injuries, seasonal trades and a single option, the Jets dropped to seven defensive starters from the unit that was designed at the start of training camp.