The Pittsburgh Steelers have lastly landed a large receiver, buying and selling for New York Jets WR Mike Williams, in accordance with ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Following weeks of hypothesis following the Jets’ acquisition of WR Davante Adams, Williams is being shipped to Pittsburgh the place he’ll have a possibility to play and enhance the Steelers’ passing recreation.
The Steelers are giving up a 2025 fifth-round choose for Williams, per Schefter.
Williams, 30, was frozen out in New York because the No. 4 receiver behind Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and Adams. Even previous to the Adams’ deal, Williams had caught solely 10 passes throughout the Jets’ first six video games for 145 yards and 0 touchdowns. He was known as out for psychological errors, together with QB Aaron Rodgers telling reporters that Williams ran the fallacious route, leading to a game-ending interception in opposition to the Buffalo Payments in Week 6.
Pittsburgh’s curiosity in Williams dates again to the offseason. Coming off a 2023 ACL tear, the Steelers scheduled a go to with him in March. However the Jets had their assembly first and Williams didn’t go away the constructing, signing a one-year deal for $10 million.
After the Adams deal, a number of experiences indicated the Steelers had been nonetheless exhibiting curiosity together with the Los Angeles Chargers, Williams’ earlier group, and the New Orleans Saints. Pittsburgh and New York tabled commerce talks till after their Week 7 contest in opposition to one another.
After Lazard sustained a chest harm that despatched him to IR and the Jets’ win over the Houston Texans, it appeared like Williams might stay with New York. As a substitute, he’s on the transfer to assist Pittsburgh for its playoff run. In Lazard’s absence in Week 9, Williams caught one move for six yards on two targets.
Mike Williams’ contract will likely be low cost and simple for the Steelers to tackle. Standing in at 6036 and 218 kilos, he’ll be a giant and potential downfield goal for QB Russell Wilson to match his desire for throwing vertically. Per Schefter, the Steelers will likely be taking over the rest of Williams’ wage. He will likely be a free agent after the season.
For his profession, Williams has caught 319 passes for 4,951 yards and 31 touchdowns. He has two 1,000-yard seasons, 2019 and 2021, however has seen his manufacturing drop off lately. Accidents have performed a think about that decline.
As OTC’s Nick Korte notes, the Steelers have a pair of fifth-round picks. It’s not clear which they’re sending to the Jets.
Now, we’ll see how shortly Williams can stand up to hurry and turn out to be a No. 2 receiver on this offense. Pittsburgh might nonetheless rotate receivers whereas Williams will get acclimated. He isn’t the slam-dunk star or starter the Steelers have been angling for however he’s an improve over what Pittsburgh entered the season with.
