New York Jets add incentives to Quincy Williams' contract

New York Jets add incentives to Quincy Williams’ contract

The New York Jets have rewarded their free-agent-to-be star linebacker with added incentives in his contract.

Aug 7, 2025 - 3:18 pm EDT

As the New York Jets prepare for their preseason opener, general manager Darren Mougey is staying busy.

After signing Nick Folk last week, Mougey turned his focus to rewarding a veteran leader who was already on the roster.

The Jets have added $1.5 million in incentives to linebacker Quincy Williams’ contract to increase his cash flow for 2025.

Quincy Williams, due to make $6.5M in base pay, had $1.5M in incentives added to his contract, per source. (h/t @Willpa11). A little sweetener for a player who has outperformed his contract. Eligible for free agency in ‘26. #Jets
— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) August 7, 2025

Williams’ story is easy to love. Quincy, the older brother of Jets star Quinnen Williams, was claimed off waivers in 2021. He flashed enough over the next two years to earn a three-year, $18 million contract in March 2023.

Quincy responded with a dominant 2023 season that earned him first-team All-Pro honors. He had another strong season in 2024, although his play was lost in the struggles of the Jets’ season. The emergence of another star overshadowed him as well.

Jamien Sherwood broke out in 2024, establishing himself as one of the best young linebackers in the NFL. The Jets drafted Sherwood in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL draft and asked him to switch from safety to linebacker. After a slow start, the move finally paid off.

Although Sherwood didn’t earn league honors, he was voted by his teammates as the Jets’ Curtis Martin Team MVP. Mougey rewarded Sherwood with a three-year, $45 million contract, which currently ties him for the fifth-highest salary among linebackers.

While locking in Sherwood made sense, it complicates the team’s long-term plans with Williams.

The seventh-year linebacker will be a free agent after this season and will likely ask for a raise. Given his strong play and rising linebacker salaries, he could push for a deal similar to Sherwood’s. Few players in the NFL can match the speed and intensity with which Williams plays every snap. However, he will be 30 at the start of the 2026 season, and his speed may start to decline.

While Williams may be worth the deal, the Jets may be hesitant to pay two linebackers top-10 money. It will be a difficult decision for Mougey.

In the meantime, adding incentives to Williams’ contract could help the Jets build goodwill with him ahead of future contract talks.

About the Author

Stefan Stelling is an analytics writer for Jets X-Factor. Grew up on Long Island and raised as a Jets fan. Now living in Massachusetts as an Engineer.