The Chargers’ season has come to an end, and now all the attention shifts to who from the 2021 campaign will be a part of next year’s squad in hopes of ending with a better outcome.
One of Los Angeles’ most sought-after soon-to-be free agents is wide receiver Mike Williams.
Williams is coming off one of his most productive seasons to date, setting career highs with 76 receptions and 1,146 receiving yards. In addition, he added nine touchdown catches this season.
Coming through in the clutch and making big plays along the way, especially when he caught a 12-yard touchdown pass against the Raiders as time expired to send the game into overtime. Williams would like to continue to suit up in the blue and gold.
“Yeah, I would like to,” Williams said about possibly staying with the Chargers. “I don’t like changes. I feel like I’ve built lifelong friendships here with the guys in this organization on and off the field. I like the organization, like the people I come to work with every day. Hopefully, things work out on both ends.”
One of the most significant factors in whether or not Williams is brought back is his price tag. He recently had a salary of $15.68 million for his fifth-year option and should command north of that, whether that be getting franchise tagged or a long-term commitment.
Should the Chargers tag Williams, it will cost them $19.1 million. If they want to extend him, it will likely be around $16-17 million per year. Pro Football Focus lists him with a four-year, $68 million (17 per year) contract projection.
You can make an argument for that being too much money for a receiver who may have had a productive season, but still had spurts of inconsistency, dealt with dropped passes throughout, and still draws injury concerns.
However, the argument for Williams staying is keeping continuity between him and Justin Herbert, his big-play ability, his ascend in his new role, and he is well-liked as a person among the organization.
Only time will tell what the future looks like for Williams.