5 players who New York Jets need to be great in 2019

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - OCTOBER 21: New York Jets defensive end Leonard Williams (92) during the National Football League Game between the New York Jets and the Minnesota Vikings on October 21, 2018 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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NASHVILLE, TN – DECEMBER 2: Leonard Williams #92 of the New York Jets laugh and joke at the line of scrimmage during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on December 2, 2018 in Nashville,Tennessee. The Titans defeated the Jets 26-22. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

2. Leonard Williams, Defensive tackle

Leonard Williams is entering the biggest season of his professional career. Rather than award him with a contract extension, Maccagnan exercised the fifth-year option on his contract.

This means Williams is playing on the final year of his rookie deal and is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. It is time for him to do more than give brief flashes of the potential he has.

Williams is still only 24, and will be turning 25 years old. The former sixth-overall pick hasn’t been a bust, but he has left a lot to be desired after it appeared he was ready to take off after his second season in 2016.

The former USC Trojan racked up seven sacks and made the Pro Bowl at age 22 in 2016. Since then, he has collected that same number of sacks over two years.

To be fair, Williams isn’t a 15-plus sack guy. He is an interior defensive lineman who is there to shoot through gaps and collapse pockets. The issue is that he goes ghost during games sometimes where he goes unnoticed for numerous drives.

Williams’ play can be chalked up to inconsistency, but that’s wearing thin with the Jets. The team needs him to be a game-wrecker from the inside, and that’s why he is a huge piece to the team’s success in 2019.

The hope is that Williams will find that drive and reach another gear under Gregg Williams. Putting talent around him like Henry Anderson and Quinnen Williams will give him more favorable matchups, as was the case during his Pro Bowl season playing alongside Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson.

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