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The New York Jets traded wide receiver Mike Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Tuesday.
Williams struggled with production and with building a rapport with quarterback Aaron Rodgers in his first season with New York. He became expendable when the Jets acquired Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders last month.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the teams hadn’t announced the deal. ESPN first reported the trade.
Williams, who signed a one-year, $10 million contract with New York in the offseason as a free agent, had just 12 catches for 166 yards in nine games with the Jets. He heads from the scuffling Jets to the first-place Steelers (6-2), who have been searching for a complement to top wideout George Pickens for months.
[2024 NFL Trade deadline tracker]
“Mike’s a good guy,” Rodgers said during his weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” just as news of the trade was being reported. “He’ll be good in that locker room. … He’s had a nice career, and sometimes a change of scenery is great for certain guys. It was great for me to kind of get re-enthused and stuff.
“We kind of knew with Davante coming in, there would be less targets for everybody.”
The addition of Williams also gives the Steelers a big red zone target for Russell Wilson, along with Pickens and tight end Pat Freiermuth. While Van Jefferson and Calvin Austin III have seen their production tick up since Wilson returned after missing the first six games with a calf injury, both lack Williams’ size and his résumé.
“If this gives Mike more opportunities, that’s awesome,” Rodgers said. “We wish Mike well.”
The 6-foot-4 Williams spent his first seven NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, for whom he caught 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns. He tore the ACL in his right knee in Week 3 last year and missed the rest of the season. The Jets brought Williams…
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Publish date : 2024-11-05 20:03:20
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