The Jacksonville Jaguars' struggling pass rush rebounded during their blowout victory against the Los Angeles Chargers last Sunday. However, one player's performance during Monday's game between the Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders proved that the Jags were one phone call away from solving a major problem.
Jacksonville needed an upgrade at defensive tackle all season, and it would have benefited from scoring Quinnen's services. However, it's not like the team didn't try. Jerry Jones, who serves as Dallas' general manager, traded a first-round pick to acquire Williams and replace some of the production lost after the owner traded Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.
The Jaguars probably lacked the ammunition needed to land Williams at the trade deadline, as the team spent its first-round pick in 2026 on acquiring Travis Hunter. Unfortunately, this means the Jags will have to look inward to see how their pass rush can be more consistent.
The Jaguars tried, and failed, to bring in Quinnen Williams
Williams exploded during his debut for Jones' beloved franchise, sacking Raiders quarterback Geno Smith one-and-a-half times. The Alabama alum's dominance in the trenches immediately validated his new team's investment in him and their plan for the Cowboys' defense moving forward.
Unfortunately, the three-time Pro Bowler's quick acclimation showed what could have been if Jaguars general manager James Gladstone had the capital needed to acquire him.
Reports from national insiders claimed that Jacksonville proposed "a strong bid before the Dallas Cowboys swooped in and made a deal that the New York Jets couldn't refuse." The team's lack of activity after trading for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers shows the front office may have been all-in on Williams before they were outmuscled by the NFC East competitor.
If Gladstone landed the former All-Pro interior defensive lineman, he would have shot up the media's GM power rankings, but more importantly, in NFL standings. Now, it looks like the young executive focused too much on an unrealistic transaction and didn't think of a viable backup plan that addresses one of his roster's most pressing needs.
Who will step up for the Jaguars without Quinnen Williams in the mix?
Khalen Saunders' lackluster tenure in Jacksonville didn't help or hurt the team in the end. That's why the franchise was able to release him as quietly as it did. However, his departure could disrupt the team's performance when he takes the field for the New York Jets in Week 15.
Saunders' ability to find a new team so quickly shows that he could have some good snaps left in the tank. Shockingly, the Jaguars' coaching staff was unable to bring this potential out of the two-time Super Bowl Champion.
As Anthony Campanile moves forward with the defensive linemen available to him, the first-year coordinator will do so while asking himself how the same players he's coached all season can have eye-opening spikes in production this late into the campaign.
As of Week 12, the Jaguars have 15 sacks as a team. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett matches that total by himself.
Arik Armstead leads the defense with 5.5 sacks thus far. In a perplexing turn, Josh Hines-Allen, the Jaguars' new all-time sack leader, only has three. If you were a betting person, you'd imagine that these two are the best candidates to make Jacksonville feel better about missing on Williams at the deadline.
I'd suggest that strong finishes by Armstead and Hines-Allen wouldn't be nearly as impactful as Travon Walker's continued development over the long-term.
Walker's been managing a wrist injury he suffered earlier this season, which explains his discouraging 2.2 sacks performance this year. If the 2022 first overall pick rebounded and finished 2025 with, say, eight sacks, his resilience would probably make the front office feel a lot better about his future in Duval.
The Quinnen Williams ship has sailed, but the rest of Walker's career is right in front of us. Since entering the league, Travon's racked up 26.5 sacks in 58 games. Williams has accrued 26 in the same time period.
I'm not saying Walker and Williams are the same level of player, and Walker's role as an edge rusher gives him better opportunities to reach the passer, but all hope is not lost on the defensive line in Jacksonville.
Perhaps this is the same thing James Gladstone was thinking when he held his ground a few weeks ago.