3 wide receivers Chargers may sign after failing to reunite with Mike Williams
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers are really testing the limits on how bad they can make the wide receiver room be in 2024. Los Angeles traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears for a fourth-round pick and released Mike Williams for cap space. This left the team with a wide receiver room that is the worst in the league.
In the latter's case, the team had some internal hope that it could re-sign Williams to a friendlier deal after he was released. After trading Allen, the Chargers had newfound cap space to spend on a reasonably-priced Williams contract.
However, Williams ended up signing for a premium price, agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract with the New York Jets. Now the Chargers need to survey the rest of the wide receiver market as adding help in the draft simply won't be enough.
Chargers may sign Odell Beckham Jr.
The Chargers have been all about signing players with existing ties to the coaching staff or front office (see: Gus Edwards, Hayden Hurst and Denzel Perryman), or that do not impact the compensatory pick formula (see: Bradley Bozeman and Will Dissly).
Odell Beckham Jr. checks both of those boxes. Since he was technically released by the Ravens due to void years on his contract, Odell would not count toward the compensatory formula. Additionally, he has connections to GM Joe Hortiz, who was part of the Ravens front office that brought him in last season.
If Odell's price ends up being similar to Williams' then there is no reasonable chance that the Chargers can afford him. Beckham did sign a one-year, $18 million contract last season and his price may not be that much lower.
It all depends on Beckham's price and if the Chargers can sign him for under $10 million then it could become possible (especially if the team uses void years to smooth out the cap hit a tad). But if not, the Bolts must explore more cost-effective options.