Mike Williams shocked LA Chargers fans on Thursday when he suddenly retired from professional football. Fans quickly turned from surprise to solution-seeking as Williams leaves behind a hole at wide receiver that may need to be filled.
While many fans have since clamored for another reunion with Keenan Allen, there are other options for the Bolts to explore. It's not just exclusive to free agency, either, as the Chargers may suddenly be players on the trade market.
It seems unlikely that this front office will trade for a big-name receiver like Terry McLaurin. However, a more affordable option, such as Romeo Doubs, may very well be on the table. Freddie Boston of Lombardi Ave recognizes this and broke down how the Packers may now turn to the Chargers to have trade conversations.
"Again, the Packers haven't put Doubs on the trade block, at least not publicly. But it's difficult to see how the several jigsaw pieces fit in Green Bay," Boston writes. "The Chargers desperately need wide receiver help after losing Williams, and if the Packers are going to trade a key starter, it sure helps if they play in the AFC. "
Packers' Romeo Doubs may be the best pivot the Chargers can make
Doubs is an intriguing option as he would fill the specific void left behind by Williams and shouldn't cost much on the trade market.
The Chargers need another traditional X receiver as rookie Tre Harris is the only receiver on the team who fits that billing. As excited as fans are about Harris, having a rookie be the only X receiver is a dangerous game.
Doubs could step up and essentially play the same role that Williams would have played. He can split X receiver duties with Harris while also playing Z receiver. Either way, one of Harris or Doubs would be on the field in most situations, pushing Quentin Johnston down to WR4 on the depth chart.
Johnston may have first-round draft priors but Chargers fans do not want to see him starting in 2025. This is especially true after he showed up to camp looking like the same player from the last two seasons.
Doubs caught 46 passes for 601 yards with four touchdowns last season. He is in the last year of his rookie contract and Green Bay likely won't re-sign him after the year. With first-round pick Matthew Golden and third-round pick Savion Williams on the team, Green Bay will get more bang for its buck trading Doubs for draft capital.
So what would the price be? Based on how these trades typically go, the Chargers could probably get Doubs for a fourth or fifth-round pick. This is also the classic situation where it may be a conditional pick. Perhaps the Chargers trade a fifth-round pick that converts to a fourth-round pick if certain parameters are met.
That may seem like a lot for a one-year rental but it shouldn't fully be viewed that way. The Chargers need to go all-in on capitalizing on this potential Super Bowl window, and Doubs could even be someone who the Chargers re-sign after his rookie season ends to stick around.