Mike Williams was the 7th pick in the 1st round of the 2017 NFL Draft from the Los Angeles Chargers. He has caught 309 passes for 4806 yards and 31 touchdowns over his 7-year career. Last year he played in only three games, catching 19 passes for 249 yards before going down to a season-ending torn ACL during the Chargers 28-24 victory in Week 3 versus the Minnesota Vikings. Williams is expected to be ready for the upcoming season, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, at the time of the injury. He was a cap casualty released by the Chargers this offseason for the Chargers to be cap-compliant by the new league year. He has since scheduled visits with 3 teams according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Mike Williams Will Visit the Jets
Mike Willams has a scheduled visit with the New York Jets this week. The Jets are coming off a 2023 campaign where star quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles 4 plays into the season. Their season tanked from there alternating between draft bust Zach Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemen at QB.
The Jets face an offseason where they need a weapon of Mike Williams’s stature to join Garrett Wilson & Breece Hall. Their defense, led by Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner, can support the offense as long as it keeps their end of the bargain. One of the offseason concerns they’ve addressed is the offensive line with the additions of John Simpson, Morgan Moses, and Tyron Smith. While Robert Saleh is off to a rough start as coach, if Rodgers can come back healthy and limit the non-football headlines, this can be an attractive destination for Williams.
Mike Williams will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers
Mike Williams has scheduled a visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers have revamped the quarterback room. Out are former 1st round pick Kenny Pickett and backup Mason Rudolph. In are Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson and former Chicago Bears starter Justin Fields. Reports are that Wilson will be the starter and Fields the backup.
The skill positions have some talent. Running backs Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren form a decent 1-2 combo. At wide receiver, they have 3rd-year player George Pickens. At the tight end, they have Pat Friermuth. They traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson and a pick swap. The Steelers could fill that void with Mike Williams, and form a 1-2 punch that could help lead this team back to relevancy on offense. Combine that with playing for a Super Bowl-winning coach like Mike Tomlin, this could be a destination for Williams.
Mike Williams Will Visit the Carolina Panthers
Mike Williams has scheduled a visit with the Carolina Panthers. The Carolina Panthers have largely been a dumpster fire for several years under the leadership of owner David Tepper. He has torn down the infrastructure of this franchise again handing the reins to former Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Morgan, and first-time head coach Dave Canales, former Offensive Coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
They will be responsible for the development and surrounding of talent for their #1 pick in the 2023 draft Bryce Young. Dave Canales led the offense responsible for the career numbers put up by Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield. The hope is he can do the same for Bryce Young who struggled in his first season. What could appeal to Mike Williams is a role opposite newly acquired Diontae Johnson and veteran Adam Theilen forming a trio of weapons for the young quarterback. They will need to improve the offensive line but they do have a stable of running backs Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders. Not sure if at this point in Williams’s career, he wants to participate in a rebuild but he would provide a much-needed target on the outside for Young.
There’s an opening with the Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have traded their longtime received Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears, leaving a #1 slot open. While releasing him to get under the cap could cause some feelings, he has played every season for the franchise that drafted him in 2017. The Chargers have one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert. The Chargers also replaced longtime running back Austin Ekeler with former Baltimore running back Gus Edwards. If he can stay healthy it will help balance their offensive attack.
Leading this team into the next era of Chargers football is former coach of the National Champion Michigan Wolverines Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh is fresh off a National Championship, but returning to the NFL where he has a record of 59-36-1. He’ll like to want to run the football to take the pressure off his quarterback. However, I’m sure he would love to bring Williams back to provide a viable WR1 for his quarterback
After all his visits, Mike Williams may decide that who has it better than the Chargers, is nobody. We’ll see as the week unfolds if any of the teams he visits let him leave the building without signing.
Also Read: BREAKING: Los Angeles Chargers Reunite With Former Player
Joseph Laguerre is a hardcore, born and raised New York sports fan. He is a Giants, Rangers, Yankees and long-suffering Knicks supporter. You can find him on X @JavaJoeSports. You can also find his writing portfolio on his Wix site. To keep up with all the latest in sports click HERE.