The New York Giants gave up quite a haul to acquire defensive tackle Leonard Williams from the New York Jets. No surprise they wish to sign the soon-to-be free agent as soon as possible. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Giants are planning to open contract talks with Williams before Thanksgiving but wish to get to know each other first before discussing an extension.
The Giants traded a 2020 third-round pick and 2021 fifth-round pick for Williams, who will make his debut Monday night against the Dallas Cowboys, so it's not surprising they wish to pursue extension talks. Williams has 20 tackles, five quarterback hits, and zero sacks in seven games this season, which was his first in a new defensive scheme under Jets defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.
The Giants aren't betting on the 2019 version of Williams, who was a square peg in a round hole in this new scheme. They're paying for the 2015 through 2018 version of Williams who played in a defensive scheme that was one-gap and aggressive. Per Pro Football Focus, Williams had 43 tackles for loss among interior defenders since 2016, which was third in the NFL. He had 63 quarterback hits and 122 quarterback hurries in his first four seasons. Giants' defensive coordinator James Bettcher runs a system similar to former Jets head coach Todd Bowles, so the Giants' defense should get the bang for their buck for Williams, who is just 25 years old.
If the Giants sign Williams, that 2021 fifth-round pick becomes a fourth and they will surely be paying him a salary above the $14.2 million per season he's making this year. They'll use the next few games to see how Williams fits in their scheme before attempting to work out a deal with him before Williams reaches the open market.
