The New York Jets are parting ways with wide receiver Mike Williams, trading the veteran to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a 2025 fifth-round pick. This move comes after just six games in a Jets uniform for Williams, who was supposed to provide a deep threat and a red-zone weapon alongside Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard. However, his time in New York has been short-lived and disappointing.
The Williams Experiment That Never Took Off
Signed to a one-year, $15 million contract this offseason, Williams was expected to be a key piece for the Jets’ offense in 2024, particularly in the absence of a reliable second wide receiver behind the dynamic Wilson. As a former first-round pick (No. 7 overall in 2017) and a 6’4″, 218-pound target with a history of big-play ability, the expectation was that he would help stretch the field and give Aaron Rodgers another reliable option in the passing game.
However, it never clicked. Williams, 30, spent his first seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, racking up 4,806 receiving yards on 309 receptions and 31 touchdowns. His best seasons came in 2018 and 2021, where he eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards and provided explosive plays for the Chargers. But in New York, the chemistry just wasn’t there.
Over six games in 2024, Williams managed only 12 catches for 166 yards, averaging a disappointing 13.8 yards per reception and failing to find the end zone. His role seemed to shrink as the season wore on, particularly after a Week 4 performance in which he caught four passes for 67 yards against the Denver Broncos—a season high. In the two weeks following that, Williams had just two catches for 18 yards combined, including a goose egg on three targets against the Buffalo Bills.
A Troubling Disconnect with Aaron Rodgers
One of the most notable moments in Williams’ brief Jets tenure came in Week 6 against the Bills, where Rodgers publicly called out Williams for a critical mistake that helped seal the Jets’ 22-16 loss. In a pivotal moment late in the fourth quarter, Rodgers threw a deep pass down the field, targeting Williams on a route he expected to be run down the “red line.” However, as Rodgers revealed, Williams ran a completely different route—an in-breaker—leading to an interception that ended any hopes of a comeback.
Rodgers, while critical of the play, indicated that Williams was still trying to find his rhythm in the offense, and the confusion on that route was emblematic of the struggles the receiver was facing. The frustration on both sides was palpable, and just a day later, the Jets swung a trade for star wide receiver Davante Adams, further diminishing Williams’ role in the offense.
The Timing of the Trade
With the Jets at 3-6 and their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, general manager Joe Douglas made the decision to cut his losses and trade Williams for a 2025 fifth-round pick. It’s not a massive haul for a player with Williams’ pedigree, but it’s a pragmatic move for a team that needs to start focusing on the future.
The timing of the deal also aligns with the team’s shift in offensive strategy. The Jets had high hopes for their wide receiver room with Wilson, Lazard, and Williams, but after Rodgers’ injury and the underperformance of Williams, it became clear that the offense needed a new direction. Adding Adams, one of the best receivers in the NFL, likely factored into the decision to part ways with Williams, who was only a marginal contributor in the system.
What This Means for the Steelers
The Steelers, who have been looking for help at wide receiver all season, could benefit from adding Williams to their roster. While it’s unlikely he’ll immediately solve Pittsburgh’s issues, especially considering his struggles this year, Williams’ size and downfield ability could make him an intriguing fit for Kenny Pickett and the Steelers’ offense. If he can return to his form from previous seasons with the Chargers, Pittsburgh could get a bargain for a fifth-round pick.
However, the risk is clear. Williams is coming off an ACL tear and has yet to fully regain his previous form, and his inconsistent play with the Jets won’t inspire much confidence in Steelers fans just yet. Still, the potential for a low-risk, high-reward acquisition could be a worthwhile gamble for a Steelers team that has been struggling to find consistency on offense.
A Tough Decision for the Jets
For the Jets, the decision to trade Williams marks a tough but necessary step in retooling an offense that has struggled to find its identity all season. The addition of Adams gives them another dynamic weapon, but the loss of Williams—once viewed as a potential game-changer—leaves a void in their wide receiver depth.
In retrospect, the Jets’ investment in Williams can be considered a gamble that didn’t pay off. The hope was that he could complement Garrett Wilson and provide the deep threat that was missing, but injuries and lack of chemistry with Rodgers made it clear that the fit wasn’t right. Now, with the Jets facing a potential rebuilding phase and staring down a tough stretch of games, Joe Douglas is wisely pivoting toward the future, even if it means parting with a player who, just a few months ago, seemed poised to make a big impact.
Conclusion
Mike Williams’ time with the Jets was short and filled with frustration. What was supposed to be a high-upside signing turned into a failed experiment that ends with Williams heading to Pittsburgh. For the Jets, the trade gives them a small return, but it also clears up space and signals a shift in focus to the future. As for Williams, he heads to a new opportunity with the Steelers, where he’ll need to rediscover the form that made him a top-10 draft pick in 2017.
In the end, both teams are hoping that this move pays off in ways that it never quite did in New York.
