Jets Rumors: Quinnen Williams to Undergo Surgery on Foot Injury, Will Miss 8-10 Weeks

New York Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams reportedly suffered a broken bone in his foot and is "likely" to undergo surgery that'll require an eight-to-10 week recovery.

Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reported Tuesday that Williams "should be healthy" for the start of training camp in July.

Williams quickly emerged as a critical piece of the Jets' defensive front after being selected with the third overall pick in the 2019 draft.

The 23-year-old former Alabama standout recorded 28 total tackles and 2.5 sacks as a rookie and made major strides in 2020 en route to 55 tackles and seven sacks. He received a strong 81.4 grade from Pro Football Focus last season.

His breakout season came to a premature end in December after being placed on injured reserve following a concussion a neck injury suffered in a Week 15 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Williams became the focus of some trade speculation early in the offseason, but he made it clear in an interview with CBS Sports' Zach Gelb (via Adam Maya of NFL.com) he didn't want to be moved.

"I'd be disappointed," Williams said in February. "I really want to be a Jet for life. I like New York, and I want to play in New York."

His availability was typically linked to a potential blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson, but that specific outcome has faded away after the Jets selected BYU signal-caller Zach Wilson with the second overall pick in last week's draft.

With that massive hole filled, it's hard to imagine another scenario where Williams is available for trade.

The Jets may be cautious with one of their key defensive building blocks at the start of camp to limit the risk of any setbacks for the foot injury, but he should be ready to roll well before Week 1.

New York is counting on a big year from Williams and the defense as it attempts to end a 10-year playoff drought, the longest active streak in the NFL.