One Mike Rutenberg quote may explain the Browns’ Quincy Williams move

Day 1 of the NFL’s free-agent negotiating period is in the books, and true to form, the Cleveland Browns are not exactly off to a roaring start.

Cleveland’s losses piled up early, with Todd Monken-approved targets like center Tyler Linderbaum and tight end Isaiah Likely flying off the board. The Browns’ biggest loss might’ve been their own linebacker, Devin Bush, who agreed to terms with the Chicago Bears on a three-year, $30 million deal. That feels like a fair price for a 27-year-old who excelled in Cleveland’s defense to the tune of 125 total tackles, three interceptions, two pick-sixes, and eight pass breakups in 2025.

The Browns may have favored a cheaper option all along. On Monday evening, they agreed to terms with former Jets linebacker Quincy Williams on a two-year contract worth up to $17 million, per FOX Sports insider Jordan Schultz.

Williams had some of his best seasons with the Jets under former head coach Robert Saleh, who has served as a mentor to new Browns defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg. Williams’ relationship with Rutenberg actually traces back to his draft year with the Jaguars in 2019, when Rutenberg was in Jacksonville serving as the team’s assistant linebackers coach.

All three of the Browns’ coordinators met with the local media for the first time last week, and Rutenberg actually brought up Williams unprompted in a quote that now feels prophetic. 

"I go to Quincy Williams, was in Jacksonville with Quincy, and we drafted him,” Rutenberg said in a response to a question on building relationships with new players. “Quincy and I connected from the heart. From the start. It went heart to football, and we spent a lot of time on our hearts and then a lot of time on football."

Days later, Williams is headed to Berea to play alongside reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwesinger in the middle of the Browns’ defense. That definitely doesn’t sound like a coincidence.

Browns make a calculated linebacker move after Devin Bush's exit

Williams endured a frustrating final season with the Jets in 2025, as he was clearly not a fit for new head coach Aaron Glenn. He battled an early-season shoulder issue that forced him to miss four games. He was still productive on paper, racking up 83 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, and seven pass breakups in 13 games.

Those numbers don’t tell the whole story, though, as he was picked on for five touchdowns and a career-worst 136.5 passer rating when targeted, per Pro Football Focus, and also took a step back in run defense.

Williams’ age (he’ll turn 30 in August) and uneven 2025 season likely helped the Browns land the kind of deal they were coveting. Instead of paying full market value for Bush, they were able to add Williams at a slight discount. 

Cleveland will reap the rewards if Williams can replicate his dominant 2023 season with Saleh, Rutenberg and the Jets. He was one of the best defensive players in football that season, posting 95 solo tackles, two forced fumbles, and 10 pass breakups. 

Rutenberg never coached under Jim Schwartz, but he has a unique background in Schwartz’s wide-nine attack style, and he clearly believes that Williams will be a fit for the team both on and off the field.