Jets Lose Quincy Williams and Marcelino McCrary-Ball to IR

The New York Jets announced Tuesday that linebacker Quincy Williams has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury in Sunday’s 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. By rule, Williams will miss a minimum of four games. A source confirmed that the injury is not season-ending.

Williams, 29, sustained the injury in the second quarter on a third-and-2 running play when he was caught in a pileup. He exited with 52 seconds left in the half and did not return. Before leaving, he recorded four tackles, a half-sack, and two quarterback hits. Through three games this season, he has 15 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two tackles for loss, placing him second on the team in tackles. Williams, a former first-team All-Pro and the older brother of Jets defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, is in the final year of a three-year, $18 million contract. The Jets added a bonus structure in August that allows him to earn up to $1.5 million in incentives in 2025. In 2023, he finished with 116 tackles, second on the team to Jamien Sherwood.

Marcelino McCrary-Ball, who replaced Williams on Sunday, was also placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. McCrary-Ball, a special-teams captain, will also be out at least four weeks.

To bolster depth, the Jets signed linebacker Mark Robinson from the New England Patriots’ practice squad to the 53-man roster. Robinson, 26, was a seventh-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. He appeared in all three games for New England this season, playing exclusively on special teams and making three tackles. The Jets also signed veteran linebacker Ben Niemann to the practice squad and released offensive lineman Liam Fornadel from the practice squad.

In addition, the Jets acquired second-year cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. from the Tennessee Titans in a trade that sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to Tennessee in exchange for Brownlee and a 2026 seventh-round pick. Brownlee, drafted in the fifth round out of Louisville in 2024, has made 16 starts in 19 appearances with one interception and one fumble recovery. He was inactive last week with an ankle injury.

The Jets’ 0-3 start has been marked by defensive struggles. They have allowed 93 points, tied with the Chicago Bears for the fourth most in the NFL. Under new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, they rank 23rd in rushing defense, giving up 133 yards on the ground per game. At this pace, they would allow 527 points over the season, which would be a franchise high.

The upcoming Week 4 game against the Miami Dolphins has also drawn close attention from sportsbooks. The opening line listed the Dolphins as 5.5-point favorites with a total of 44.5 points. As of this week, Caesars lists the Dolphins as 3-point favorites with the Jets at +3, a total of 45, and moneyline odds of Jets +125 / Dolphins -154. DraftKings lists Miami at -2.5 (-118) and New York at +2.5 (-102), with a total between 44.5 and 45.5 and moneyline odds near Jets +130 / Dolphins -150. BetMGM has Dolphins -2.5 (-120), Jets +2.5 (+100), a total of 45, and moneyline odds of Jets +125 / Dolphins -150. FanDuel lists Dolphins -2.5 with a total of 45 and editorial analysis favoring Miami with an implied win probability of roughly 64%.

Expert picks remain consistent with the Dolphins as the favorite. Sports Illustrated’s betting desk highlighted Caesars’ line at Dolphins -3, while Covers and Pickswise also listed Miami as the side to back. FantasyAlarm identified the consensus spread at Dolphins -3/-2.5, describing the matchup as evenly matched between two 0-3 teams.

Meanwhile, quarterback Justin Fields remains in concussion protocol after missing last week’s game, with Tyrod Taylor starting in his place. The Jets expect to have a clearer sense of Fields’ status when they hold their first practice of the week.