The Los Angeles Chargers are among multiple teams that have reached out to the New York Jets about trading for receiver Mike Williams, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
Would a reunion with Williams make sense?
From a roster-fit perspective, the answer is a resounding yes.
The Chargers, Steelers and Saints are among a number of teams reaching out to the Jets about WR Mike Williams, per sources. pic.twitter.com/2CVLwH8375
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) October 17, 2024
The Chargers have struggled in the passing game through six weeks. They rank 24th in expected points added per dropback, according to TruMedia — a pretty jarring figure considering they have Justin Herbert at quarterback.
Some of this is by schematic and philosophical design. Coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman want to have a dominant running game, and nobody in the league has called designed rushes at a higher rate than Roman through six weeks.
Some of this is related to injuries. Herbert has been nursing a high ankle sprain and only started to look close to healthy in the Chargers’ Week 6 win over the Denver Broncos. Receiver DJ Chark has not played this season because of a hip injury. Receiver Joshua Palmer has been limited to 53.3 percent of the offensive snaps because of knee and elbow injuries. Starting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt missed time, and their absences significantly impacted the pass protection. The Chargers are last in ESPN’s pass block win rate despite Slater and Alt combining for just six blown pass blocks, according to Sports Info Solutions.
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Some of this, though, is rooted in a lack of high-end talent at receiver. The Chargers made their bed in March when they cut Williams and traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears. They drafted Ladd McConkey, who has been a solid addition as a slot target. Quentin Johnston has shown improvement in his second season. But the Chargers have not had a receiver who can consistently threaten the deep part of the field, and it’s impacted how opposing defenses are playing Herbert.
Chark is trending in a positive direction. He returned to practice Wednesday, and his 21-day window to be activated off injured reserve is now open. Once he is back in games, Chark will provide some deep-field speed and contested-catch capacity. At the same time, one player alone is not going to solve these issues, especially a player coming off an injury that kept him out of practice for nearly two months.
That is one part of why Williams is intriguing. Over his seven seasons with the Chargers, Williams proved capable of being a consistent deep-field threat. Plus, he had his best statistical season while playing with Herbert. Those two have a real connection.
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers pointed out that Williams ran the wrong route on the game-sealing interception against the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Rodgers also never gave Williams a chance to make a play because the ball was underthrown. The right way to use Williams in those situations — and the Chargers know this from experience — is throwing a 50-50 ball. Williams made countless clutch plays for both Philip Rivers and Herbert on contested catches in the fourth quarter or overtime. The throw just has to be in his vicinity. Rodgers’ throw was not.
Herbert knows exactly how to maximize Williams. The Chargers quarterback is also dealing with a largely new supporting cast, from tight ends Will Dissly and Hayden Hurst to running back J.K. Dobbins to McConkey. And Herbert missed most of training camp with a foot injury. What better way to jumpstart the passing offense than bringing in a receiver who has a built-in rapport with Herbert and fits the skill set the team needs in the receiver room?
The hangup, ultimately, could be finances. Williams has a $5 million base salary as part of the one-year deal he signed with the Jets in March. The contract also includes $1.7 million in per-game roster bonuses. If the Chargers traded for Williams, they would take on base salary proportionate to the number of games remaining, 11. They would also be on the hook for the remaining per-game roster bonuses. The cap hit would come out to around $4.2 million.
The Chargers have $8.2 million in cap space, meaning they can take on a potential Williams cap hit. The real question: Would the Chargers be willing to pay the cash?
There is also the component of how much the Jets will be asking for in return. Is it a premium draft pick? Or is it a late Day 3 pick? The Jets are all in on this 2024 season after firing coach Robert Saleh and trading for receiver Davante Adams. Are they really in position to be giving away talent? On the flip side, if Williams is unhappy with his current role, will he try to force a move? How would that impact the draft pick return? Williams did not practice Wednesday for what the team called “personal reasons.”
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Chargers GM Joe Hortiz and Jets GM Joe Douglas worked together with the Baltimore Ravens for 14 seasons. Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander also worked for Douglas with the Jets for 4 1/2 years before coming to L.A. So there is considerable familiarity between the two front offices.
The Chargers were open to bringing Williams back after they released him. Hortiz said in March that the team talked to Williams after the release. “He knew there was interest on our part,” Hortiz said. This was not a situation in which the new Chargers regime did not like the player.
Can Hortiz make a move and bring home one of Herbert’s all-time favorite targets?
(Photo: Al Bello / Getty Images)
