What was expected has been confirmed for Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams, as the star pass-catcher tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the 2023 season, according to Adam Schefter.
Williams was carted off the field in the third quarter of the Chargers' Week 3 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. LA feared that he had suffered a significant injury and an MRI revealed the severity of it. Schefter said that Williams is expected to be ready for the start of training camp next July.
Williams was in the midst of a stellar performance on Sunday when he went down with the injury. The wideout had seven catches for 121 receiving yards and a touchdown on what was a career day for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
Herbert threw for a career-high 405 passing yards and completed 40 of his 47 passes, tossing three touchdowns in the process. The Chargers won 28-24 for their first victory of the season.
Williams had a down year in 2022 after a breakout season the year prior but was lighting it up in the early portion of 2023. He'll finish his injury-shortened campaign with 19 receptions for 249 yards and one touchdown in three games.
This is no doubt a major blow to the Chargers and their offense. Though Keenan Allen remains their No. 1 target, Mike Williams was as viable of a No. 2 as they come in the league. LA does have several options to replace Williams though and will look for improved production from Joshua Palmer and rookie Quentin Johnston in his absence.