The Pittsburgh Steelers have been looking for wide receiver help since the offseason, and now their lucky day has finally come. The Steelers traded for New York Jets wideout Mike Williams on Tuesday's trade deadline.
In return, the Steelers sent the Jets a 2025 fifth-round pick via ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Williams signed a one-year, $10 million contract with the Jets in the offseason, joining a receiving room with Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, and rookie Malachi Corley. However, the former Los Angeles Charger became expendable when the Jets traded for Davante Adams in October.
Now, Williams will start opposite George Pickens as Pittsburgh's No. 2 wide receiver. The 30-year-old is having a down season, with just 12 catches for 166 yards thus far, but his 6-foot-4 frame still makes him a red-zone threat.
Will Williams elevate the Steelers' passing attack?
Mike Williams will have a bigger role on Steelers
Williams struggled in New York not due to a lack of talent, but because he was never on the same page as Aaron Rodgers, via SNY's Connor Hughes.
“Mike Williams never meshed with Aaron Rodgers & what the Jets were looking to do. He and QB were seldom on same page, evident by the infamous ‘red line' interception,” Hughes said. “Two games the NYJ lost actually featured a final pass from Rodgers – Williams getting picked off. Curious this happened, though, considering Allen Lazard is on the IR. Jets one bad break at WR away from being very, very thin there.”
Now, Williams will try to develop a better rapport with Russell Wilson, who took over as starter in Week 8's 37-15 victory over the Jets on Sunday Night Football. After Pickens, who has 35 catches for 548 yards and a touchdown, the Steelers' next leading receivers are tight end Pat Friermuth and fellow wideout Calvin Austin III, who have just 264 and 257 yards, respectively. Williams should get plenty of targets going forward.
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