The New York Jets entered the offseason with a major need at the wide receiver position.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic believes the “perfect complement” to Garrett Wilson would be free agent wideout Mike Williams.
Williams is scheduled to visit the team on Monday, March 18. Adam Schefter of ESPN said he should be “arriving” during the evening. Williams also has visits set up with two other teams for later in the week.
Former Chargers’ WR Mike Williams is scheduled to visit this week with the Jets, Panthers and Steelers, per source. Jets up first with Williams arriving Monday night.
Also, with the Chargers having traded WR Keenan Allen, they also are interested in bringing back Williams.
Former Chargers’ WR Mike Williams is scheduled to visit this week with the Jets, Panthers and Steelers, per source. Jets up first with Williams arriving Monday night.
Also, with the Chargers having traded WR Keenan Allen, they also are interested in bringing back Williams.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 17, 2024
Williams Has a List of Teams Waiting to Talk With Him
The Los Angeles Chargers recently released the former Clemson product. Williams was in the midst of a three-year deal for $60 million.
However, he was coming off of a torn ACL he suffered in Week 3 of the 2023 season.
Rosenblatt spoke with Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus and he projects Williams to sign a one-year deal for $8 million on the open market with incentives attached to make more money.
“That feels like a contract the Jets would be open to,” Rosenblatt explained in an article posted on Monday, March 18.
Before the news broke that Williams was visiting the Jets, cornerback Sauce Gardner hinted at it on social media.
“I see everybody has been tagging me about recruiting players. I was on a non-paid leave over the last couple weeks. I am back in the office and have a WR visiting the facility next week. -LeSauce.”
I see everybody has been tagging me about recruiting players. I was on a non-paid leave over the last couple weeks. I am back in the office and have a WR visiting the facility next week. -LeSauce
— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) March 15, 2024
I see everybody has been tagging me about recruiting players. I was on a non-paid leave over the last couple weeks. I am back in the office and have a WR visiting the facility next week. -LeSauce
High-Risk, High-Reward Potential Addition for the Green and White
The Jets made an all-in move in the first week of free agency when they added former Dallas Cowboys star Tyron Smith.
That sent a message to the team, the fan-base, and the rest of the NFL that they’re a serious threat in 2024. The offensive line was the biggest piece of the puzzle for the Jets. If they can’t protect Aaron Rodgers then the rest doesn’t matter.
Now that the green and white has a brand new starting five on the O-Line they must shift their focus elsewhere. Now who is going to be catching passes from A-Rod?
“There is some high-risk, high-reward potential for Williams,” Rosenblatt explained. “When healthy, the 29-year-old is one of the NFL’s best down-the-field weapons and had started to develop into a more complete receiver before suffering a torn ACL early last season. He’s the perfect complement for Garrett Wilson — The Athletic’s Daniel Popper wrote that Williams was ‘once almost purely a go-ball and down-the-field threat’ but that he’d started ‘impacting the game over the middle of the field more often on slants and digs and crossers.’”
Williams is an explosive playmaker. For his career, he averages 15.6 yards per reception. He can take the top off of a defense. The mere threat of that should open up things for Wilson and the rest of the offense as a whole underneath.
The big test for Williams is how he recovers coming off of a torn ACL. Last year we saw Breece Hall not skip a beat during his return. Other players aren’t so fortunate.
If Williams still has some juice he could totally change the dynamic of the offense. The Jets are a perfect landing spot for Williams because they allow him to join a contender. Plus if he puts up numbers on a one-year deal it will allow Williams to re-establish his value heading into free agency in 2025.
