After 11 practices of training camp, Jets defensive lineman Leonard Williams is ready for some fresh meat.
"I'm looking forward to it a lot," Williams said of the Jets' preseason opener against the Titans Saturday night. "I was just telling my teammates that we actually get to hit a quarterback. We work on pass rushing so much and we get to the spot where we get there, but we can't celebrate the moment. We finally get to go out there and see a different color on an opponent to hit. It's exciting."
Williams has had an impressive camp as he's been in the backfield on numerous occasions. He's shown explosiveness, a good arsenal of pass-rush moves and a command of the defense from a leadership standpoint. But the third-year pro isn't the only one performing.
"Not just as a defensive line, our whole team has been great for the first weeks of camp," he said. "There's been a lot of competition out here, a lot of positive attitudes and mindsets. Everyone is coming in here to work with a lot of belief in themselves and the team. That's what I love to come out here and see. Everybody knows what they're doing and everyone is playing fast."
The 6'5", 302-pounder said the team was in shells Thursday after a couple of "great" practices. Even though the practice was less physical, head coach Todd Bowles wanted to focus on the mental part of the game as Saturday marks the first live bullets the team will see in the 2017 season.
Essentially, football is around the corner and the Big Cat is excited.
"All of them," Williams said regarding who he's most excited to play with. "Mo has improved. He's not a young guy, but he got better. I want to see Darron, who's going into his second year. I want to see everybody on our defense. We have the two new safeties that know what they're doing and playing fast. Anybody who's out there at the same time as me on defense, I want to see them do well."
