(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
The Steelers have reportedly traded for Jets' inside linebacker Avery Williamson. Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News was the first to report that the Jets were working on trading Williamson to the Steelers. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network later confirmed that the Steelers landed Williamson. The trade terms, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Jets get the Steelers' fifth-round pick in 2022, while the Steelers get Williamson and the Jets’ 2022 seventh-round pick.
Williamson, 28, in 85 career games has recorded 546 total tackles (350 solos), 14.5 sacks, 26 tackles for a loss, 25 quarterback hits, 17 passes defended, four interceptions, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Williamson was drafted in the fifth round out of Kentucky by the Titans in the 2014 NFL Draft. Williamson played in Tennessee from 2014-2017 before he became a free agent and signed a three-year, $22.50 million contract with the Jets in March of 2018. Williamson had 59 total tackles (36 solos), three passes defended and an interception in six games with the Jets this season prior to being traded.
Williamson has registered over 100 total tackles in a season three times in his career, the latest coming in 2018 when he had a career-high 120 total tackles.
Williamson will join Robert Spillane at inside linebacker in trying to fill the void for Devin Bush after he suffered a season-ending ACL injury against the Browns in Week 6. Along with his 33-yard pick-six to give the Steelers an early 7-0 lead, Spillane had a team-high 11 total tackles (10 solos), a tackle for loss, two passes defended and a fumble recovery in a, 28-24, win over the Ravens on Sunday.
Williamson had nine total tackles (five solos) in the Jets' 35-9 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday. The Jets had renegotiated Williamson's salary in the final year of his contract, so the Steelers will only owe him about $1.45 million, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv.