“I want to be able to play with Aaron Rodgers!” Mike Williams breaks silence on why he chose to sign $15 million contract with Jets’

Mike Williams signed a lucrative one-year contract with the Jets worth $15 million.

“I want to be able to play with Aaron Rodgers!” Mike Williams breaks silence on why he chose to sign $15 million contract with Jets’

Mike Williams and Aaron Rodgers (Via The Hill/Imago)

Mike Williams recently made the headlines for finding a new home in the New York Jets as the wide receiver next season. After missing the entire season following a week 3 injury in 2023, Williams looks forward to a kick-off start in 2024. 

According to a source close to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the dynamic wide receiver signed a lucrative one-year contract with the Jets worth $15 million. In his introductory press conference with the Jets, Williams opened up about why he jumped on the opportunity to join New York. Interestingly, his reason could be well summed up into two words, or rather one person– Aaron Rodgers. 

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Williams said on Wednesday, addressing the press:

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I just felt like it was a great fit for me. Aaron, I want to be able to play with him, pick his brain, learn from him. Playing alongside Garrett [Wilson], he kind of reminds me of Keenan [Allen] a little bit. Similar style play, great route runners, and I feel like we can complement each other in that area. The running game is pretty good. Defense is elite, so I just feel like we got a pretty good opportunity ahead of us.
Mike Williams said

The Jets now have two solid wide receivers in their offense next season, which means there’s a likely possibility that they will have the exact opposite season than that of 2023. Garrett Wilson holds the record for logging 1,000 yards in his first two seasons in the league. And Williams is the NFL’s leader in yards per reception of 15.8. 

Is Mike Williams a risky offseason decision for the Jets?

After seven seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Williams parted ways with the franchise due to his salary cap of $32.5 million exceeding their space for next season. He had previously signed a three-year contract deal with the Chargers, which would have given him $17 million non-guaranteed money next season– the final season of his contract. 

Mike Williams
Mike Williams (Via The Athletic)

However, there might be another reason as the wide receiver had only played three snaps last season before sustaining a serious torn ACL injury and had to sit out the entire remaining season. Interestingly, something very similar happened to Rodgers as well, last season right after playing one game. 

But that’s not everything. In 2022, Williams missed four games, including a very crucial playoff game which eventually the Chargers lost. This makes him a risky offseason decision taken by the Jets, which could turn into a very evident mistake they did last season when traded Rodgers from the Packers with high expectations.

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