Retirement of Chargers' Mike Williams proves old adage correct

The Los Angeles Chargers received news on Wednesday night that Mike Williams, a first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, will be retiring from the NFL. 

The news comes just days after it was announced that Williams would open up training camp on the PUP list. That's not ideal for a player the team chose to bring back in free agency this offseason. 

But let's be honest, this was never a good deal. The Chargers needed more weapons for Justin Herbert to get the ball to this coming season, which was quite evident in the team's disappointing loss to the Houston Texans in the playoffs. But Williams should have been a guy the team turned to if it was running out of options, not someone you sign right as free agency opens. 

It brings to mind one of the truest old sayings that there is... "You get what you pay for". 

Williams is 30 years old and looked horrible with the Jets and later the Steelers last season. He had a career low 21 catches on the season and looked like a player whose best football was behind him. 

Yes, he is a big target whom Herbert is familiar with, but in recent years, health has been an issue. Back problems have nagged at him and he tore his ACL in 2023, limiting him to just three games that season. The Chargers knew all of this and signed him anyway. 

When the free-agent signing period began, the Chargers had as much cap space as nearly any team in the league. Davante Adams, Cooper Kupp and Stefon Diggs were all available. They would have cost the Chargers twice as much as Williams, if not more, but that's for a reason. 

And if the team wanted to bring back a former receiver, Keenan Allen made more sense, and still does. The team decided to be thrifty, and it cost them. Now Williams is done and the team still needs more help at the wide receiver position.

Chargers fans might feel like the team can't catch a break, but this was just a bad move from the start. 

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