The free agent pass-catchers pool looks quite a bit different this afternoon than it did to start the week. For example … Wide receiver Davante Adams is getting the Franchise Tag, and the same goes for tight ends David Njoku, Dalton Schultz, and Mike Gesicki. Receiver Chris Godwin figures to get a tag, too, but only if the Bucs don’t come through with a deal by today’s 3 p.m. CT deadline.
One player not getting a tag is Chargers receiver Mike Williams. Instead, he is getting a bit more:
Chargers, WR Mike Williams agree on 3-year, $60 million contract extension. (via @RapSheet) pic.twitter.com/y0fBFrj6Qb
— NFL (@NFL) March 8, 2022
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reports Williams is getting a three-year deal worth $60 million from the other professional football franchise in Los Angeles.
It is a sweet pact for the Chargers, who retain one of Justin Herbert’s top targets on a deal that comes at an annual average rate that isn’t too far off from what the Franchise Tag will pay out over the next three years. Seems like a fair trade-off in my eyes. Maybe it even feels like a steal, especially when considering the 27-year-old has 1,000-yard campaigns in two of his last three seasons; Williams is coming off a year in which he set career-bests in catches (76) and receiving yards (1,146).
But what is good news for the Chargers stings a bit from a Bears perspective. The top of the market is getting a trim before our very eyes. And eight days before free agency officially opens its doors for official signings. Lining up a deal with Williams might’ve been a long shot. But a player with two 1,000-yard receiving seasons under his belt who is still in his prime would’ve made for a nice fit with Justin Fields. And back in January, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler had the Bears as a team that could spend money for a high-profile receiver of Williams’ caliber. In the end, it’s the Chargers shelling out the big dough.
So … how about those second-tier receivers?
We’ll discuss more later in due time.