All injuries are awful, but the preseason ailments that end up being season-ending are the most heartbreaking of them all.
The New York Jets will be without starting linebacker Avery Williamson this season, according to NFL.com insider, Ian Rapoport.
#Jets starting ILB Avery Williamson suffered a torn ACL, source said. He had his MRI today and is out for the season. Terrible preseason injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 16, 2019
Williamson, who was entering his fifth year in the league, had posted solid stats as a starting linebacker over four years with the Tennessee Titans and one with the Jets. Last season, Williamson started all 16 games for New York, picking off one pass and defending six. He made 120 tackles, including 80 solo and 40 assisted. He was also responsible for six tackles resulting in negative yardage and four QB hits, including three sacks. Williamson also forced two fumbles and recovered one.
The 2014 fourth-round pick out of Kentucky, now 27 years old, is on the second year of the three-year, $22.5 million pact he signed with New York in 2018 after his rookie contract with Tennessee expired. The NC Sports client earned $10 million last season and was due to earn $6 million this season. He has a potential opt-out coming after this season ends and it seems like the injury will essentially force him to take the $6.5 million he would be due if he remained under contract with New York.
Williamson was set to start alongside C.J. Mosley this season, but now those duties will go to Neville Hewitt or Anthony Wint for the time being.
