ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Jets rookie defensive lineman Leonard Williams does not have overwhelming statistics, but has put together a strong first season.
“I think Leonard had a good season,” coach Todd Bowles said. “I think he’s had a very good season. The stats don’t always show it, but from a production standpoint and him stuffing the run and him taking up two blockers and understanding blocking schemes better and playing a lot better and faster as the year goes on, I thought he made a lot of progress.”
Williams has 69 tackles this season, according to the Jets’ coaches, 32 quarterback hits and three sacks. Williams had some struggles in mid-season when he saw some different blocking schemes, but has gotten better.
“He gets off the ball,” Bowles said. “The biggest thing with him was he wasn’t using his hands early in the year. He was just shouldering everybody. Once he began using his hands a lot more, he’s been a lot more effective.”
Defensive coordinator Kacy Rodgers said he is excited to see what Williams can do in the future.
“We would definitely say the arrow is up for Leonard, but the way he stepped in, we’re very pleased with him,” Rodgers said. “We think he has a tremendous ceiling left to go, but he’s done everything we have asked him to do, and the game is not too big for him, and we think he’s doing a pretty good job.”
There was a lot of focus this week on Rex Ryan facing his former team and Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick returning to Buffalo, but offensive coordinator Chan Gailey also is making his first trip back since being fired as head coach there after the 2012 season.
Gailey is not too sentimental, though.
“It’s just another game,” Gailey said. “If we’re going to talk about all the places I’ve been at we’re going to have a long list.”
Gailey went 16-32 in three seasons as the Bills’ coach. He spent two years away from football before coming back this year with the Jets. He said he does not think he has changed.
“I don’t think I’m any different. I really don’t,” Gailey said. “I think I’m the same guy and think the same way and have the same aspirations for our football team. I think all of it’s the same, I don’t think anything is different. Somebody that knew me then and knows me now may say something different, but looking at myself, I don’t see anything different.”