The Steelers needed Williamson for depth after losing starting inside linebacker Devin Bush to a season-ending knee injury. Robert “Mickey” Spillane is starting for Bush, next to Vince Williams, but they don’t have much behind them.
The Jets really don’t need Williamson at this point. They got linebacker Patrick Onwuasor back from injured reserve, and he was a player who was going to challenge Williamson for a starting job this summer before a knee injury caused him to miss the first seven weeks of the season. The Jets also have Blake Cashman and Harvey Langi, who is a good player, but for some reason one coach (not sure who) refused to play him on defense during Weeks 2-8.
And Onwuasor, Cashman and Langi all might be a step up in coverage from Williamson, who struggled in this area during his time with Jets.
Look, Williamson is a very good run defender, and pretty good blitzer, but pass coverage was never his strength. Remember, in his last year with the Tennessee Titans, in 2017, playing under legendary defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, Williamson was pulled on passing downs for rookie linebacker Jayon Brown, who was drafted for his coverage prowess.
After Williamson signed with the Jets, he told the Daily News, he wasn’t thrilled with his reduced role with the Titans in 2017.
“It’s motivation,” Williamson said in the spring of 2017. “There’s always going to be somebody that’s going to put news out there about you and say that you can’t do this or that. So, I prove them wrong. That’s the point: I know I’m a three-down ’backer. I know I got the skill set to do anything on the field.”
Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av NY Jets Confidential.
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Denne historien er fra December 2020-utgaven av NY Jets Confidential.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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FIRST DOWN- A lot of potential, but a lot to learn
There is a lyric in an old song by the rock group Chicago that sums up where Zach Wilson is right now:
IN HIS OWN WORDS WITH DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR JEFF ULBRICH - Ulbrich breaks down Jets' defensive personnel
(Marcus Maye) can do it all. I would feel comfortable with him (at free or strong safety). He’s a guy that, to me, he can play deep, he can play the half field, he can play the middle third, he can do that and you feel comfortable with it. I think he’s got range, speed and athleticism. I think he’s got ball skills and instincts to be a deep safety. But I think he’s got enough size and girth and want-to and courage to play in the box. It’ll be fun to utilize all the things that he does. He can cover tight ends; he can cover some of the wide receivers in this league.
Dan's Minicamp Diary
Becton bombarded with weighty questions
Saleh calls Wilson ‘relentless' as a worker
QUESTION SESSION WITH QB ZACH WILSON
Jets hope initiatives will increase winning edge
Aside from adding as many good players as possible to help the Jets improve, coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas are trying to turn over every stone to find extra ways to give their team a winning edge, and two examples of this were announced over the course of the offseason, with the additions of a game management coach (Matt Burke) and the installation of an Athletic Care and Performance Department. Let’s take a closer look at these two moves and how they might help the Jets:
Dan's Spring Camp Diary
This time of year for learning, experimenting, not stats
AUDIBLES-Saleh doesn't cave on offseason work
Tom Brady might be wrong about this one.
SAFETIES
Justin Simmons, Broncos 6-2 • 202 pounds • 27 years old
OFFENSIVE TACKLES
Trent Williams, 49ers 6-5 • 320 pounds • 32 years old
LINEBACKERS
Lavonte David, Buccaneers 6-0 • 226 pounds • 26 years old
