The start of the 2025 season hasn’t been good for linebacker Quincy Williams or the New York Jets’ defense. While there are many reasons why the unit has struggled, Williams’ performance has not helped matters.

The former All-Pro hasn’t necessarily been bad overall. His 63.1 grade from Pro Football Focus is considered “above average” at the position. But after a rough showing in the Jets’ 29-27 loss, including a team-high three missed tackles, Williams’ future with the organization is becoming murky.

To make matters worse, it was announced on Wednesday that Williams will be placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini. This will sideline Williams for at least four games.

It leaves the Jets in an interesting spot with their 29-year-old linebacker as he plays out a contract year.

Jets have conundrum with Quincy Williams

Williams has always been known as an extremely fast linebacker with the kind of physicality fit for the modern league. His ability to go sideline to sideline has made him one of the better players at his position over the last few years.

With a new coaching staff in New York, though, there’s an ugly truth starting to follow Williams around.

For as fast and solid as Williams has been, he has a tendency to overpursue to the ball-carrier and put his teammates in difficult situations. During Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay, Williams was seen overpursuing and running into Jets players along the defense.

The Jets’ poor tackling, headlined by Williams, has left head coach Aaron Glenn to answer for the team’s inability to wrap up ball carriers – despite Glenn having focused on it throughout training camp.

“I’m not saying that you go out there and you practice tackling at this point of the season, but you make sure that every guy gets in position to try and do that,” Glenn said on Monday. “There is a ton of things that every coach in this league is trying to emphasize, and we hope that every game comes out to where those things show up, but the thing is you go back to work, you emphasize those things, and you do everything you can to get yourself in positions to where you can actually operate the right way.”

Williams’ shoulder injury complicates the Jets’ plans moving forward. As a pending free agent, the All-Pro needs a big year to get the kind of lucrative contract he has deserved for years now.

But with Williams struggling on the field, the Jets have a chance to start pushing younger players like Marcelino McCrary-Ball and fifth-round rookie Francisco Mauigoa to audition for the role of Williams’ future replacement.

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If either one can play well within the structure of the defense, Glenn and the Jets must have a difficult conversation once Williams returns.

New York has already paid Jamien Sherwood $15 million per year at the position. Only one NFL team (Chicago) is currently paying two linebackers at least $10 million per year.

The reality is that Williams isn’t in the team’s long-term plans.

With his inconsistent play, and an injury to boot, the Jets have a chance to see if they have someone ready to eventually replace the All-Pro moving forward.