Over the past few seasons, the leader of the New York Jets’ defense, and the team as a whole, was linebacker C.J. Mosley.
He had a great run with the Jets, being named a captain for five consecutive years. But this offseason, both parties decided to go in separate directions, seemingly stemming from his injury-riddled past.
Let’s take a look at some of the players who could fill that veteran leader void left by the outstanding linebacker.
Could the Jets’ next leader be on the defensive line?
Quinnen Williams is one of, if not the best player on the Jets’ roster. But, that is not the reason why I see him fit as a leader.
You do not need to be the best player, you do not need to be the loudest, but you have to prove to everyone that you come to work every day. Williams does just that.
He is there in and out, and has the first man on, last man off mentality. The Jets’ defensive line seems to be a strong point of the team, and it is led by Williams.
This isn’t someone who could confidently take some of the responsibility of being a leader from Mosley.
Could Mosley’s replacement be his understudy?
Quincy Williams is a bit of an underrated pick for the Jets. He is very similar to Quinnen with his mentality, but does it at a different position.
He is the guiding force for this defense, as a linebacker has the responsibility of getting everyone in the correct position. Defensively, he will be able to control the players, especially the young guys, and mold them into smart players.
The Jets’ youthful defense doesn’t have many players who have played a long time and have experienced things, but Quincy Williams is one of them. He is a tenacious player, and his hard-nosed way of playing football will be shown through the whole defense.
Looking to the offense for leadership
For this team to reach the playoffs, their offense is going to need to click. The defense will be able to hold its own and be very good, but can the offense match that energy?
Garrett Wilson will be that guy for the offense. He has been there long enough now to know how to lead a team, even still being only 24 years old.
The offense is young, and not a lot of the players have played together for much time at all. Wilson has proven to be a leader on and off the field, and with C.J. Mosley gone, I see him stepping up and being that guy for the whole team.
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