Pierre Desir’s familiarity with Jets assistant general manager Rex Hogan wasn’t the only thing that pushed him towards signing with New York in free agency.
Days after the Colts waived Desir, the Jets swooped in to ink him to a one-year, $5.5 million deal. Hogan played an instrumental role in bringing Desir to the Big Apple, but it was defensive coordinator Gregg Williams that sealed the deal with the veteran cornerback.
“[Speaking with Williams] kind of sold me on wanting to sign with the Jets,” Desir said on a conference call with reporters on Friday.
In conversations with players around the league, Desir said he discovered how beloved New York’s defensive coordinator is by his players. Williams is not afraid to rip into people when necessary, but is ultimately a player’s coach that will go to bat for his guys any day of the week.
Considering Williams played a major role in outside linebacker Jordan Jenkins’ decision to re-sign with the Jets, it should not come as much of a surprise that he was a primary factor in Desir’s decision to join Gang Green. Not only does Williams churn out top-ranked defenses, but he also does it in a way that and with a coaching style that players love.
Desir comes to the Jets after spending the last three years in the Colts’ zone coverage heavy scheme. However, with Desir’s words about Williams, it is clear that although he might not be the perfect fit in the Jets’ typically man-heavy defense, the two sides are willing to put in the work to turn New York’s secondary into one of the better ones in football in 2020.