Why a Mike Williams trade is unlikely for the LA Chargers
By Jason Reed
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports – LA Chargers
1. Mike Williams makes too much for the LA Chargers to be able to move him
The main reason why the LA Chargers would look to trade or cut Mike Williams is to free up the salary-cap space. The problem with that logic is that the team taking on Williams still has to pay that $15 million salary and that is a big ask for the team.
First of all, we are coming out of a season that was hit big-time financially because of the COVID-19 pandemic with the 2021 season likely being impacted as well. The exact 2021 cap number may not even be known until hours before the new league year, which is March 17.
There are not many teams in the league that can take on a salary like Williams and even the teams that can (Jaguars, Patriots, among others), why should they? Let’s be honest with ourselves for a second and take our biased Charger fan glasses off.
Why would any team trade any sort of draft capital for one-year of an overpaid receiver when there are plenty of options on the free-agent market that could be signed for cheaper? Yes, Williams is better than just about any free agent but will also be a free agent after the 2021 season as well.
You could make the case of a team trading for Williams with the intent of extending him but I don’t think that is worth trading valuable draft capital. The only way it makes sense if he is indeed packaged in a deal that is focused on someone else (like the Brown deal). That could make sense as Baltimore needs a vertical threat and could then extend Williams.
Aside from that, if we are just being honest, there really is not any reason for a team to trade for Mike Williams. If the LA Chargers had the cap space and Williams was not on the team, would you be okay with the Chargers trading a fourth-round pick for one guaranteed year of him? Probably not.