Desperate for offensive help, the Saints have been linked to a possible trade for a veteran wideout, per reports.
The New Orleans Saints are in urgent need of wide receiver support, a situation worsened by injuries to Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Olave will be sidelined for Thursday’s game against the Denver Broncos due to a concussion, while Shaheed might be out for the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
New Orleans was reportedly among the teams looking to trade for Davante Adams from the Raiders, but he ended up being traded to the New York Jets. Following that trade, the Jets might be open to moving one of their veteran wide receivers.
NFL Insider Diana Russini and Zack Rosenblatt from The Athletic have reported that the Jets are actively shopping veteran WR Mike Williams for a potential trade. Russini adds that the Saints, along with the Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers, are among the first teams to express interest in acquiring Williams.
Mike Williams, 30, started his career with the Chargers as the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Clemson. Although he had a slow beginning, he eventually became a vital part of the Chargers’ offense, serving as both a deep threat and a strong target in contested situations.
During his seven years with the Chargers, Williams amassed 309 receptions for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. He led the team with 10 touchdown catches in his second season (2018) and topped the NFL with an average of 20.4 yards per catch in 2019, which was also his first 1,000-yard season, with 49 receptions for 1,001 yards.
His most productive year came in 2021, when he recorded 76 receptions for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns, again leading the Chargers in both categories. Even though he missed three games in 2022, he still had a solid season, finishing with 63 receptions and 895 yards.
Unfortunately, injuries limited him to just three games last season, leading to his release by the Chargers just before free agency. He subsequently signed with the New York Jets, where he was anticipated to form a dynamic receiving duo with WR Garrett Wilson for QB Aaron Rodgers.
In six games with the Jets this season, Mike Williams has caught 10 of his 17 targets for 145 yards, without any touchdowns. He has also had a few critical drops, contributing to the recent trade speculation. He will be a free agent at the end of this season.
If a team trades for Williams, they may need to cover most of his salary, which is just under $2.8 million on the Jets’ salary cap this year.
At 6’4″ and 218 pounds, Williams is a physical wide receiver with strong deep ball capability. While he isn’t the most precise route runner, he effectively uses his body to shield defenders on contested catches.
The Saints head into Thursday’s game against the Broncos with a 2-4 record, having lost four consecutive games. There’s a good chance that Chris Olave will return from his concussion when New Orleans faces the Chargers on October 27, but Rashid Shaheed is expected to miss significant time, possibly the rest of the season.
Even if the Saints receive positive news about Shaheed’s recovery, it was evident before the injury that they needed more offensive weapons. Adding Mike Williams would provide them with a physical presence in traffic and the big-play ability they currently lack on their roster.
