Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is one of the Jets’ top players. It is hard to debate that. But unlike some of his teammates, he plays fewer than two-thirds of the defensive snaps.
Why?
Williams has played 62 percent (346 snaps) of the Jets’ defensive plays this season. It would seem smart for that number to be at 80 or 90 percent, since Williams is an impactful player, but head coach Robert Saleh believes in a heavy rotation along the defensive line because of what he is asking in his scheme. Defensive linemen are asked to penetrate and get in the backfield on every down in Saleh’s system, unlike two-gap systems, in which linemen read and react more.
Why?
Williams has played 62 percent (346 snaps) of the Jets’ defensive plays this season. It would seem smart for that number to be at 80 or 90 percent, since Williams is an impactful player, but head coach Robert Saleh believes in a heavy rotation along the defensive line because of what he is asking in his scheme. Defensive linemen are asked to penetrate and get in the backfield on every down in Saleh’s system, unlike two-gap systems, in which linemen read and react more.