This should have no bearing on the talks . . .

Quinnen Williams, who is under contract with the Jets for the upcoming season, changed his Twitter bio to “Defensive Tackle for ……………….”

A recent Williams tweet highlighted the details of four-year, $90 million ($60 million guaranteed) extension signed by the Giants’ Dexter Lawrence.

Lawrence is really good against the run.

A prevailing narrative is that market has been set, so you just pay Williams around what the other top defensive tackles got this off-season – Lawrence, Tennessee’s Jeffrey Simmons and Washington’s Daron Payne.

A columnist for the Newark Star-Ledger wrote – “It’s worth remembering this: There is a clear blueprint for Williams and the Jets to get a deal done. So get it done. The particulars Dexter Lawrence’s recently signed lucrative contract with the Giants made it obvious that Williams — who is also a standout defensive tackle — should get no less than what Lawrence received.”

So let me get this straight, you just copy the last big deal, and pay accordingly, even if the player next up to get paid is inconsistent against the run?

Unless I don’t know what the hell I’m looking at, I’ve seen Williams get engulfed by blockers too often leading to big runs. It’s not an isolated thing, and part of it isn’t Williams’ fault. He’s not built like guys like Lawrence, Simmons and Payne who are all over 3oo pounds.

I have no skin in the game. Just calling balls and strikes.

If other reporters chose to ignore run defense, something really, really important at the defensive tackle position, there is nothing I can do about it. Williams is an excellent interior pass rusher, but this isn’t like paying a superb edge rusher who is average against the run. You can cover that up. It’s hard to do that up the middle on the defensive line.

Williams deserves a really nice contract. No doubt about it.

But based on the run defense, it should probably be below Lawrence, Simmons and Payne.

So something in the $18-21 million-a-year range.

Any team that just pays somebody based on what other guys at the position make, and ignores the totality of the film, is making a mistake.

May 16, 2023

Premium will return by 9:30 pm on Wednesday.