Jaguars news: The case for and against trading for DL Quinnen Williams

Good teams are always looking for ways to get better, so it would make sense for the Jacksonville Jaguars to explore the possibility of trading for All-Pro defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, who's scrubbed all mentions of the New York Jets on his Twitter profile on his quest for a new deal.

Williams, the third overall pick in the 2019 draft, has become a mainstay of New York's defensive line. Last season, he registered a career-best 12 sacks and two forced fumbles, which earned him Pro Bowl and First-Team All-Pro designations. Moreover, his Pro Football Focus overall grade of 90.1 ranked fourth among interior defenders in the NFL last year.

The Alabama product is set to make $9.54 million in 2023 after having the fifth-year option on his rookie deal picked up. However, he told the Jets' brass that he won't report to offseason activities unless he gets a new contract that pays him an annual salary of $30 million.

While there's ample time for New York and Williams to strike a multi-year contract, they could also shop him around. Back in 2020, the Jets entertained calls about the defensive tackle before the trade deadline but ultimately kept him. Now, they have to decide if they want him to stay around for the long haul or if they're better off trading him and potentially getting picks in return.

Trading for Quinnen Williams would come with pros and cons for the Jaguars

The Jags have allocated lots of resources to their defensive line this offseason, so fortifying the trenches isn't probably a priority right now. Having said that, they don't have a player of Williams' caliber and he would give their pass rush a huge boost. Also, Jacksonville is in a position to make a deep playoff run and if they think that Williams would increase their chances of making the Super Bowl, they should then give Jets general manager Joe Douglas a call.

If the Jaguars were serious about trading for him, they would need to be ready to compensate the Jets and give him a new contract he wants. Those could be a couple of pretty big hurdles. First, they're working with a limited amount of cap space. Both outside linebacker Josh Allen and wide receiver Calvin Ridley are entering contract years and bringing them back won't be cheap.

On top of that, Trevor Lawrence will be eligible for a new contract in 2024 and he could be looking for up to $55 million per year. The Jaguars have prioritized rewarding their own players this offseason and bringing in Williams could rub Allen and Ridley the wrong way. Then again, the front office is (or should) do what's best for the team and if they think Williams is going to help them, they should then make an aggressive effort to trade for him.

It could be a matter of time before Williams and New York strike a deal but the Jacksonville Jaguars should monitor the situation in case he does indeed become available.