The money makes sense

It’s a contract that makes sense.

Talking about Quincy Williams getting a 3-year deal for $18 million over the weekend.

What is the guaranteed money, that is the key?

The NFL Media Insiders, who carry water for agents, generally just report the totality of the deal up front, leaving out the guaranteed money, unless the guaranteed money is outrageous, to make the deal seem more than it is.

Like the Daniel Jones contract. Upfront the insiders that got leaked the deal from the agent, reported that it was a 4-year contract for $160 million, and some people freaked out – “How can you give a QB like Jones $40 million a year?”

Well, they didn’t, of the $160 million, $82 million is guaranteed, and they can get out of the deal after two years without a huge cap hit.

But what the conflicted insiders do, is they often hold off on reporting guarantees up front, to help the agents make the contracts look bigger than they are.

You’re telling me that the same agents that leak them the deal is done, and the misleading total value of the deal, can’t get them the guaranteed money upfront?

It turns out the guarantee, according to Spotrac.com, is $9 million, and the Jets can easily get out of the deal after two years with a minimal cap hit.

Williams might be the Jets’ toughest player, a ferocious hitter who plays with no fear, but his incredibly aggressive style of play puts him out of position sometimes because, at times, he goes the eye candy related to play-fakes.

Covering tight ends was problematic for the Jets last year. This isn’t all on Williams, but some of it is.

Here is what I wrote in the JC free agent preview issue:

“Williams is like a heat-seeking missile, who accelerates quickly when he sees a target and brings the wood as they say. However, he’s so aggressive, sometimes he takes questionable angles in pursuit.”

In 15 games last year, Williams had one pass defensed and no picks. One pass defense for a linebacker with sub-4.6 speed who is in coverage a lot isn’t ideal. I’m not going to lie, I thought this stat might have been a typo when I looked it up today. One PD in 15 games? This guy has great wheels. He should get his hands on more footballs. I’m not talking out of school here, He’d be the first to admit it.

But with all that being said, re-signing this guy makes total sense. He’s tone-setting on this defense with his unflinching hitting ability and toughness. He came back after a couple of weeks from a high ankle sprain and was clearly playing hurt, probably taking shots to get out there. He’s tough, plays hurt, and he’s the kind of guy you want in your locker room.

And he’s also a dynamite blitzer, who shoots into gaps with the acceleration of a Maserati, and makes QBs pay when he gets there.

But the coverage and sometimes overrunning tailbacks due to overaggressiveness perhaps brought the price down a little.

So the contract numbers here make sense. He gets some decent money to give him some financial security and the team gets a cap-friendly deal.

I really like how Joe Douglas and his cap guys do contracts. They sign tighter, more pragmatic deals than some of their predecessors.

March 13, 2023

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