Gang Green will be without one of its stars for at least the next month.
Jets linebacker Quincy Williams will be placed on injured reserve, according to a source.
That means Williams will miss at least the Jets’ next four games: against the Dolphins, Cowboys, Broncos in London, and Panthers.
In a corresponding move, the Jets will sign linebacker Mark Robinson off the Patriots’ practice squad.
During Sunday’s 29-27 heartbreaking loss against the Buccaneers, Williams injured his shoulder before halftime and did not return. He registered four tackles and a half-sack before the injury.
Aaron Glenn’s squad erased a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter capped by Will McDonald‘s blocked field goal attempt and 50-yard touchdown return, which gave the Jets a 27-26 lead with 1:49 remaining. But Baker Mayfield led the Bucs right down the field, which set up Chase McLaughlin’s 36-yard game-winning field goal at the buzzer.
Williams’ injury isn’t expected to be season-ending, but it will put further stress on a Jets defense that has shockingly been one of the worst units in the league. They are tied for 29th in points (31) and 22nd in yards allowed (340.3). This comes after three consecutive seasons (2022-24) in which the Jets ranked in the top five in yards allowed.
After consistently missing tackles, being out of position and failing to register a takeaway, the Jets’ defense is one of the main reasons the team is 0-3. The Jets are one of three teams (Dolphins and Commanders are the others) who do not have a takeaway through three games.
Gang Green is playing in a new defensive scheme under Glenn and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks. The Jets’ defense returned eight starters and had high expectations after their performance in the previous three seasons.
“There’s some things that we got to work on,” Glenn said. “I mean, you can’t give up the number of points that we have given up and expect to just be gung-ho about it, and every guy knows that. We’re all a part of that and we’re all going to do everything we can to fix that.
“To me, I look at that as just common sense. Listen, we gave up 34, we gave up 30, and then we ended up giving up 22, taking the pick-six out. We have to do a better job there, and the most important thing when it comes to defense is limiting points, and that’s one thing that we are struggling with right now and we have to do a better job of that.”
Robinson, 26, was elevated by the Patriots for each of their first three games this season. He registered three tackles on 37 special teams snaps, including 11 during their 21-14 loss to the Steelers on Sunday.
Robinson was originally a 2022 seventh-round pick of the Steelers. While in Pittsburgh, he appeared in 38 regular-season games and registered 45 tackles, a sack and three forced fumbles.
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