A new three-word motto was the first thing that Quincy Williams wrote on social media in 2024 and one of the last things he said during Jets training camp.
“My biggest thing this year is ‘Leave no doubt,’ ” Williams said when asked how he can improve on his breakout first-team All-Pro selection in 2023 now that a new regular season is around the corner. “For me to leave no doubt that no one feels like I’m not the best linebacker, I have to get better every single day.”
The Jets’ defense enjoyed a rare moment earlier this week at the end of a joint practice against the Giants where it could watch Aaron Rodgers carve up an opponent instead of going head-to-head against the future Hall of Famer.
Williams still found a way to challenge offensive teammates from the sideline.
“My most important thing is, I’m the fastest linebacker in the league,” Williams said. “So when we talk to the offensive linemen, I’ll be like, ‘Listen, if you let this linebacker run past you and you never let me run past you, that’s a problem. I’m going to be mad.’ As far as our receivers, we’ve got Sauce [Gardner] and D.J. [Reed] — No. 1 cornerbacks in the league — so it’s like, ‘Bro, if you let this dude lock you up, we don’t want to hear none of that.’ ”
Williams finished training camp without accomplishing one of his goals: an (autographed) interception of Rodgers.
“The first day he came here last year, I got my hand on the ball and I was just too happy,” Williams said.
“I haven’t gotten a chance to pick him off yet. My first pick — whether it’s in practice or a scrimmage, this year or next year — he’s going to have to sign that ball. I don’t care. It’s a respect thing.”
Williams’ play is adding respect to his own name.
TE Tyler Conklin is second on the Jets in catches and receiving yards over the last two seasons.
But Garrett Wilson is showing no signs of surrendering the throne after his two long touchdown catches from Rodgers in practice against the Giants.
“Garrett has been pretty damn consistent throughout our three joint practices,” Conklin said. “That combination right there, I feel like it’s my whole Twitter feed every day at this point.”
Training camp ended without any resolution to edge Haason Reddick’s holdout and trade request. Will he join the team by Week 1?
“I don’t know,” head coach Robert Saleh said. “Honestly, I really haven’t thought about it.”
Much of the attention during Reddick’s absence has gone to 2023 first-round draft pick Will McDonald.
But Micheal Clemons could be the base-defense starter over McDonald after the Jets abandoned last year’s plan to use Clemons in a hybrid role.
“We tried to get him up to a certain weight to see if we could get him inside-outside,” Saleh said. “Bad decision, bad advice from your friendly neighborhood coaching staff. But he looks really good. He’s in a really good place, setting the edges that he needs to set. And he’s actually producing some in the pass game.”
Saleh said McDonald, Clemons and Takk McKinley have “seized the moment” with unexpected reps available.
CB Michael Carter (ankle) has missed three weeks, but Saleh is hopeful he can return for the three practices next week before the break leading into Week 1.