The Los Angeles Chargers bid farewell to Mike Williams on Thursday after his decision to retire, now the team has to focus on replacing him. Priority no. 1 has to be signing second-round pick Tre Harris and getting him in camp as soon as possible, but the Chargers will also likely look to some veteran options— via free agency and trade.
The first player that comes to mind is obviously Keenan Allen. The franchise legend spent his first season away from the Chargers last year, playing with the Chicago Bears. After one season, he’s a free agent again, and a homecoming wouldn’t only be a great story, it’d make a ton of football sense. However, he’s not the only option.
Allen is one of a few productive veteran free agents who are still available. While he’d be a good fit for the team, so will Amari Cooper, who’s still looking for a new team.
Chargers should explore signing Amari Cooper following Mike Williams’ retirement
Cooper, a five-time Pro Bowler, sits atop the list with Keenan Allen of available free-agent wide receivers. His career has had much more movement than Allen’s, though.
Starting his NFL journey with the Raiders, Cooper was traded to the Dallas Cowboys during his fourth season. He was traded again three years later to the Cleveland Browns. During the 2024 season, Cleveland moved him to the Buffalo Bills.
Throughout all the trades, Cooper remained productive, recording an 1100-yard season and making a Pro Bowl with every team except the Bills, who he was only with for eight games. 2024 was a down year for him in general, catching just 44 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns— all career lows.
At just 31 years old, though, Cooper seemingly still has something left in the tank, and he could put those skills to use in Los Angeles. While Allen will likely be priority No. 1 for fans, Amari Cooper could be a great secondary option.