The New York Giants acquired defensive lineman Leonard Williams from the New York Jets on Monday for a third-round selection in 2020 and fifth-rounder in 2021 (pending a contract extension).
Here are five things to know about Williams:
He is scheduled to be a free agent at the end of this season
The 25-year-old Williams was carrying the largest cap number for the Jets ($14.2 million) this season and will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. So, the Giants are paying a pretty steep price for a rental unless they plan on inning Williams to a long term extension.
The Giants aren’t losing anything in this trade
The Giants are counting on the league awarding them a third-round compensatory pick for losing Landon Collins in free agency this year, so they will still have a pick in the third round. And…who really cares about a fifth round pick two years from now?
Plus, they’ll have Williams to stick in their defensive line rotation along with Dexter Lawrence, B.J. Hill, Dalvin Tomlinson and R.J. McIntosh. They also can play four down lineman now and free Lorenzo Carter, Oshane Ximines and Markus Golden up to rush from the edge. This is a win-win for the Giants.
First player to be traded between the Giants and Jets
Many players have played for both teams over the past 60 years, including Hall of Famer Don Maynard, offensive tackle Jumbo Elliott, Damon Harrison and Plaxico Burress but all of those players signed with the other team as free agents.
The teams have been close the past few seasons at the draft. It was rumored that the Jets were prepared to pull the trigger last year if the Giants were not going to take Saquon Barkley at No. 2 to move up to select Sam Darnold.
Williams was the 6th player selected in the 2015 NFL Draft
The 6-foot-5, 302-pound Williams was snatched up by the Jets out USC in the 2015 draft and made a splash right away, being named to the PFWA All-Rookie team and then made the Pro Bowl the next season.
He has started 70 of his 71 games in green. After registering 63 and 68 tackles in his first two seasons, Williams’ production tailed off the next two seasons. This year, he has not registered a sack.
Williams has 17 sacks in his career and 90 QB hits over four and a half seasons in the NFL. The Giants will play him at end and hope he can revive the pressure under defensive coordinator James Bettcher.
Williams will be the Giants’ third Trojan on the roster
Williams will join former USC Trojans Rhett Ellison and Javorius Allen on the Giants’ roster. Ellison, a tight end, left a year before Williams got to USC but the running back Allen played with Williams and was also in the 2015 draft, taken by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round.
Other notable USC alumni to play for Big Blue: Frank Gifford, Gary Jeter, Jason Sehorn, Steve Smith, Devon Kennard and Terrell Thomas.
