Jets ‘not concerned’ about Quinnen Williams’ recovery

The Jets already are bracing to be without two injured defensive players when the regular season opens.

Breathe easy, Jets fans. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is not one of them.

Williams, who is coming off surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot, is scheduled to return to practice no later than the days leading up to the second preseason game against the Packers on Aug. 21, according to coach Robert Saleh. The Jets and Packers will hold two joint practices in Wisconsin that week.

“Slower approach in terms of making sure that this doesn’t happen to the other foot,” Saleh said in reference to how overcompensating for one injury sometimes leads to another. “I’m still not concerned at all about Quinnen. He does look good out there. He’s started running, and he’s in good shape. We’re confident that when he hits the field, he’ll hit the ground running.”

Quinnen Williams works out during Jets OTAs in June.
Quinnen Williams works out during Jets OTAs in June.
Bill Kostroun/New York Post

In an uncommon act of injury transparency by a NFL coach, Saleh revealed “conservative” estimates that safety Ashtyn Davis and outside linebacker Vinny Curry are out until Week 2 of the regular season. He also put defensive end Kyle Phillips on the same timeline as Williams.


The Jets activated safety Marcus Maye and defensive linemen Foley Fatukasi and Jonathan Marshall — and signed defensive lineman Jeremiah Valoaga, who played under Saleh with the 49ers — before Wednesday’s first practice of training camp.

Williams, Phillips and Davis remain on the Physically Unable to Perform list and Curry is on the Non-Football Injury List after an offseason procedure, per Saleh. Cornerback Bryce Hall was excused from practice to be at the birth of a child.

No long-term contract extension but no holdout for Maye, who will play this season on the franchise tag. That pays $10.6 million for safeties.

Linebacker Jarrad Davis and Maye were college teammates at Florida and were reunited after Davis signed a one-year deal to leave the Lions in free agency. So, Davis has insight into Maye’s true thinking and motivations.

“He’s been edgy to get out here this whole time,” Davis said. “Just talking to him ever since he got a chance to come back for a little bit toward the end of OTAs, now he’s just driven. He’s inspired. He’s excited. He wants to be around the team. He is somebody who really cares about ball, and that’s somebody who is fun to play with.”


The Jets are 90 percent vaccinated against COVID-19 (accounting for 81 players), according to Saleh. All coaches are vaccinated, as is mandated by the league. Restrictions inside facilities and on road trips loosen for teams above 85 percent vaccinated.

Right tackle George Fant is in the middle of a 10-day quarantine after a positive test result. He is expected back next week.


The Jets honored late assistant coach Greg Knapp, who died last week after injuries sustained when his bicycle was involved in a car accident, with a decal displaying his initials on the back of helmets. Knapp, 58, joined Saleh’s initial coaching staff after the two met when Knapp held the higher position with the Texans in 2010.

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