The New York Jets could be on the cusp of dealing Mike Williams, after acquiring All-Pro Davante Adams in a blockbuster trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Williams, 30, has not been a scheme fit with the Jets while struggling to get on the same page with quarterback Aaron Rodgers, so it would make sense for New York to try to move on, especially to recoup some of the draft capital given up in the Adams deal.
Now that Williams is available, general manager Omar Khan and the Pittsburgh Steelers should make an aggressive push to make a deal before the trade deadline.
What Mike Williams Would Bring the Pittsburgh Steelers
Williams might not be the same receiver that he was, but he remains potentially an ideal complement opposite George Pickens.
Pittsburgh has struggled of late to get Pickens consistently involved in the offense, and head coach Mike Tomlin is now considering making a switch from quarterback Justin Fields to Russell Wilson, which may accelerate the need for adding a player like Williams into the passing game.
Given Wilson’s propensity for throwing jump balls, Williams may be exactly what the vertical passing offense needs to get going for the Steelers, if Wilson becomes the starter.
Likewise, since opposing secondaries would need to account for Williams opposite Pickens, it becomes much more difficult to double-team or shade the best defensive back to Pickens’ side, potentially creating opportunities for the Steelers’ other weapons to get involved.
Trading for Williams won’t solve all of the Steelers’ issues, but if this team hopes to capitalize on what has been a relatively weak AFC North through the season’s first six weeks, acquiring him may be the kind of move that pushes Pittsburgh closer to a playoff berth and the offense to functionality.