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“However, he does not have two or three years of dominance put in that would make you go, sure, make him the highest paid defensive tackle in the game,” Robinson said. “No problem. I think part of this, though, is when you look at the fifth-year option, I think it’s like what, $9.6 million? So, there’s a reason why you retweet the Dexter Lawrence deal. Because you’re sitting there and you’re saying, OK, I have a player here who’s making nearly $22 million a season. And I think, at the very least, I’m on par with that. I would guess that’s the measuring stick for him.”
If Lawrence is a measuring stick for Williams, and he retweeted his deal, well then the Jets should give him that deal for $21.9 million per. Makes sense, right?
Is Williams better than Lawrence? As a pass rusher, but not as run defender. He’s not better than Lawrence, Payne or Simmons as a run defender.
Feel free to watch-up all the film of Williams as a run defender. Most in the media clearly haven’t.
But since Williams retweeted the Lawrence deal, just offer him that deal, which I’m sure the Jets would do, and call it a day.
However, according to Staley, he wants to be the second-highest-paid defensive tackle in football, at $25 million per, putting him just behind the Los Angeles Rams Aaron Donald.
Robinson blamed ownership for being part of the hold-up on getting a deal done, something he also did when the Rodgers trade talks were dragging.
“If it were maybe a few other spendy organizations, I would say yeah, it gets done easily,” Robinson said. “But it is a little bit different with Jets ownership, and it’s not as simple as the general manager going, hey, we’re just going to pay all our guys, and it’s going to get done.”
I respect Robinson, but I don’t think the owner is the problem here, it’s the run-defense film. If a team gives up too many big runs up the middle, it’s almost impossible to have an elite defense.
Douglas doesn’t have a history of giving out reckless contracts, and he’s dealing with a salary cap, and a massive Rodgers cap hit at some point.
But since Williams retweeted the Lawrence deal, that is what I’d offer him. That $21.9 million per year number makes sense, all things considered.
May 18, 2023
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