New York Jets Defender Earns Shocking Ranking For 2024

This offseason, the hype machine has been whirring for the New York Jets. Even after last season’s unmitigated disaster, which centered around future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles in the Jets’ first offensive series of Week 1, there are plenty who believe they can do something special in 2024.

They certainly have talent — there’s no denying that. Rodgers seems on his way to starting in Week 1 this year, and he will be able to throw the football to stud wide receivers Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams. Breece Hall is a potent running back, and offensive tackle Tyron Smith should shore up what was a weak offensive line in 2023.

But despite their offensive firepower, the Jets will likely have to win with defense.

Perhaps the biggest star on New York’s front seven is linebacker Quincy Williams, and CBS Sports named him the NFL’s fourth-best linebacker heading into the 2024 season.

“Many will be surprised to see the brother of Quinnen Williams listed this high, but this is a player that has gotten better and better each year,” wrote Jordan Dajani. “At 27 years old, Williams earned his first All-Pro selection after recording a career-high 139 combined tackles, two sacks, 15 tackles for loss and 10 passes defensed. It’s impossible to watch the Jets defense and not notice this guy flying around all over the field.”

The Jets are loaded defensively

Quincy Williams is the sort of do-everything linebacker every team could use. He, brother Quinnen Williams, linebacker Jermaine Johnson II and newcomer Haason Reddick anchor an outstanding front seven, while All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner is the man in the secondary opponents always need to be worried about.

It was because of defense the Jets won three games in a row in October and actually had a winning record for a few days. For a minute, it looked like perhaps that defense could carry them enough to allow them to contend for the final Wild Card spot in the AFC.

Of course, that didn’t happen. With Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle failing to produce at quarterback, New York was just 29th in points, 31st in total yards and last in passing touchdowns on the season.

While the big question is whether Rodgers can still play at a high level at age 40 coming off a torn Achilles, even a somewhat diminished and aged Rodgers may be able to take the Jets to the postseason thanks to Quincy Williams’ excellence on defense.