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New York Jets receiver Isaiah Williams reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
We are seeing a jump from third-year New York Jets wide receiver and return specialist Isaiah Williams.
Beat reporter Nick Faria of Jets on SI revealed all the details on “The Jake Asman Show.”
“They had to put him in the offensive game plan because the receiving corps was decimated last year & their passing offense was anemic. He was okay in that role; he wasn’t great, but he was okay. This year, you’re seeing that he is faster [and] you’re seeing that his route running is really good. He looks like a guy that you can trust to give four to five touches on offense a game,” Faria told Jake Asman.
“So he has been a surprise to me because I look at him kind of in the same way that I look at Kene Nwangwu. I don’t see them getting reps in game action. I don’t see a path for them to do that except for being great returners. For Isaiah Williams, it’s a little bit of a different story. He is competing for that fourth wide receiver spot, and I think he is comfortably in the lead right now because he has played so well. He gets open, he catches the football, [and] he is able to do a lot of things when he gets his hands on the ball. So clearly, a guy I think the Jets are excited about. He’s developing at a really good quality level, and I think he can have a major impact on this offense going forward,” Faria added.
Beat reporter @Nick_Faria1720 told @JakeAsman that he has seen a leap from #Jets WR Isaiah Williams this offseason:
“They had to put him in the offensive game plan because the receiving corps was decimated last year & their passing offense was anemic. He was okay in that role;
You’d think it would be hard to keep surprising, but Williams keeps finding ways.
He was voted the team MVP last season, even though he wasn’t on the roster in Week 1. It was the ultimate underdog story.
Last year, he proved to be one of the best returners in the league and was a role player on the offensive side of the ball due to a lack of alternative options.
He appeared in 15 games and made two starts. On offense, Williams was targeted 36 times, catching 26 balls for 193 receiving yards. On special teams, Williams had 28 kick returns and 28 punt returns. With those opportunities, he totaled 396 punt return yards, 837 kick return yards, and he scored twice on special teams.
“This is a guy where his role is set. Whether it’s the kick or punt returner or both, it doesn’t matter; he’s going to be one of the top returners on this team. He is going to be one of the top returners in the National Football League just based off of last year. He was the No. 1 graded returner by Pro Football Focus,” Faria told Asman.
Head coach Aaron Glenn caught plenty of heat during his rookie campaign, and for good reason. However, he has to get credit where it’s deserved.
Glenn crossed over with Williams during the 2024 season when they were both on the Detroit Lions. When he had the opportunity to bring in this unheralded former undrafted free agent in 2026 on the Jets, he didn’t hesitate.
Williams became an integral part of the team last year. It was an amazing Hollywood script, but what’s next?
Can lightning strike twice in the same place? Will Williams be a dynamic returner for a second straight season? Can he contribute on offense?
If he can, that would be excellent news for a Jets offense that is suddenly overflowing with offensive weapons.
Last year, the Jets paid Williams less than a million. This year, they’re paying him $1.07 million. Next year, he is set to be a restricted free agent, which is a fancy way of saying he will be cost-controlled for another year in 2027. This is one of the best steals in the entire NFL.
Paul Esden Jr. covers the New York Jets for Heavy.com. A New York native, he co-hosts a morning show, "The Manchild Show with Boy Green Digital." Before joining Heavy in 2021, Esden Jr. covered both national and New York sports for FanSided, Elite Sports NY, and The Score 1260. More about Paul Esden Jr.
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