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Needing to be cap compliant by the 4 p.m. ET deadline when the brand new NFL league 12 months begins, the Los Angeles Chargers cleared greater than $20 million by releasing receiver Mike Williams.
The seventh general choose of the 2017 draft, Williams missed a lot of the 2023 season with a torn ACL however is predicted to be able to follow by the beginning of coaching camp on the finish of July.
There are a number of groups that might use Williams’ big-play means and listed below are 5 that could possibly be amongst his high suitors in free company:
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens took a shot on a former star receiver coming off a severe harm final season and it didn’t fairly work out, however not like Odell Beckham Jr., Williams doesn’t have the sophisticated harm historical past (Beckham Jr. has missed 52 video games in 10 seasons; Williams has solely missed 26 in seven seasons.)
With second-year wideout Zay Flowers firmly entrenched as Baltimore’s No. 1 WR, the 29-year-old Williams might step in because the No. 2 and fill Beckham’s previous function because the downfield risk. Williams, who has averaged 15.6 yards per reception over his profession, has 44 receptions of 20 or extra yards since 2017 and has hauled in 12 of his 31 profession touchdowns on deep passes. Including a receiver of Williams’ caliber would make the Ravens passing offense all of the extra harmful.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers had one of many worst receiving corps within the NFL final season and even after Tuesday’s commerce with the Pittsburgh Steelers for Diontae Johnson, the group nonetheless wants some work. From 2018 to 2022 (years during which he began 10 or extra video games), Williams was focused 92.6 instances per season whereas averaging 892 yards and 6 landing per 12 months – each of which might be high-quality numbers because the Panthers’ second choice behind Johnson.
With Williams presumably signing a one-year prove-it deal, Carolina doesn’t want him to return in and be the star of the present. The Panthers might doubtlessly use a excessive draft choose on a receiver in April and actually all they would wish from Williams in that situation is one productive season whereas they break in a rookie wideout and let Johnson settle into a brand new offense.
Kansas Metropolis Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes proved he doesn’t want a bona-fide No. 1 receiver to win a Tremendous Bowl, however simply because he can do it, that doesn’t imply the Chiefs ought to make him. Rashee Rice had a wonderful rookie season (79 receptions, 938 yards, seven touchdowns), however there’s nonetheless questions lingering about whether or not he’s a participant able to carrying a WR room.
And whereas Rice would possibly finally be simply that, including Williams alongside him would give the Chiefs the true big-play risk that they’ve been lacking since buying and selling away Tyreek Hill. Williams works the deep ball like few within the league and pairing him with Rice and tight finish Travis Kelce would give Mahomes arguably his finest group of go catchers since 2019 with he had Kelce, Hill, Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson.
New England Patriots
Re-signing Kendrick Bourne was a great begin to free company for the Patriots, however the workforce clearly wants so as to add extra assist for whoever is throwing passes for them in 2024, whether or not it’s Jacoby Brissett or a rookie first-round choose.
DeMario Douglas was stable for a rookie (49 receptions, 561 yards), however he’s not able to be on the high of a depth chart. Pairing Williams with Bourne would give New England two confirmed starters out vast with Douglas working within the slot, and the workforce might maybe add one other pass-catcher by way of the draft (Ladd McConkey, Adonai Mitchell, Troy Franklin, Xavier Worthy) or free company (Calvin Ridley, Michael Thomas, Josh Reynolds, Tyler Boyd).
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