Report: Mike Williams, Jets Agree to 1-Year, $10M Contract; WR Joins Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets reportedly agreed to a contract with wide receiver Mike Williams following his release from the Los Angeles Chargers.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported the news, with NFL insider Jordan Schultz noting it was a one-year contract worth up to $15 million.

The Chargers parted ways with Williams purely as a cost-savings measure. They were in a race against time to get under the 2024 salary cap, and releasing him saved them $20 million.

They followed up by trading Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears to continue overhauling their receiving corps. The veteran receiver declined to take a pay cut prior to the trade.

Regarding Williams, Rapoport reported a reunion with L.A. wasn't off the table but that the 29-year-old would be garnering interest around the league.

Williams had a career year in 2021, catching 76 passes for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. Thanks to injuries, he has 82 receptions, 1,144 yards and five scores in the two years since. Ankle trouble sidelined him for four games in 2022, and then he suffered a season-ending torn ACL after three games in 2023.

There's no question Williams assembled an impressive highlight reel during his first seven seasons in the NFL.

The 2017 first-round pick has always possessed the tools to be an elite wideout yet hasn't fulfilled his massive potential for one reason or another. A first Pro Bowl nod has proved elusive, and he has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards just twice.

The 2023 campaign was basically Williams' career in a nutshell. His 83.0 receiving yards per contest and 73.1 percent catch rate were both on track to be personal bests. Just when fans started thinking he was on the verge of a breakthrough, things came crashing down with the ACL tear.

If Williams can at least get back to where he was before the ACL injury, he'll be a dangerous downfield threat for the Jets. NFL.com's Kevin Patra provided some stats demonstrating his prowess on deeper throws.

"Since 2018, Williams leads the NFL with 15.8 yards per reception (min. 250 catches)," he wrote. "From 2018-2023, 22.1 percent of Williams' targets came from deep passes, per Next Gen Stats (fifth-highest percentage among players with at least 250 targets)."

Because of that, it's obvious why New York took the chance on Williams. The proof of concept is there on the basis of what he did in 2021.

Given the fact he's on the wrong end of the aging curve and coming off a major knee injury, this signing will carry some risk, though. However, the team is already all-in on Aaron Rodgers, and giving him another target in the passing game was an obvious choice.