Commentary: Mike Williams is the perfect fit for Bears |
One of the biggest areas of need for the Chicago Bears this offseason is to add to their WR room. As things stand, DJ Moore is without question the team's No. 1 option, but behind him, you have Tyler Scott, Velus Jones, and a plethora of other guys who are looking to see the field. Scott could be a diamond in the rough, but at this point, the Bears need more sure-handed options to take the pressure off Moore.
Depending on how things shake out during the draft, many feel the Bears will get a WR in round one, where Rome Odunze appears to be the consensus at No. 9. While he would be a treat to watch next to Moore, the Bears would like to add another piece which is where a free agency comes into play. Going back to the end of the season, Tee Higgins was linked to Chicago as a possible trade target, and with him requesting a trade, those rumors should start to pick up. Calvin Ridley was also a name linked to the Bears, but with him going to the Titans, the WR market has suddenly become depleted in terms of options. Marquise Brown is an option and is still out there, but he doesn't seem to be a fit for this Shane Waldron offense. One player who was added to the free agent pool on Wednesday could become a Bears target: Mike Williams to Chicago makes a ton of sense. It was long expected that the Los Angeles Chargers would release Williams, and by doing that, the Chargers cleared up 20 million dollars in cap space. It also meant that Williams now becomes the biggest free agent name on the WR market, as plenty of teams will be lining up for his services. For whatever reason, Ryan Poles has chosen to wait out the WR market rather than forking out the cash for one, and that may have played right into the Bears' hands with a guy like Williams. The big-body WR the Bears are looking for, Williams has two 1000-yard seasons under his belt, and despite the injury issues, he is a massive upgrade for this team. This wouldn't be the first time Williams has been linked to the Bears, as Chicago pursued him in 2022 until the Chargers gave him a three-year extension. Two years into that deal, he is being released as the Chicago Bears will have another shot at him for a fraction of the price. The 29-year-old Williams is one of the best WRs in the game when healthy, but he has dealt with a rash of injuries his entire career. That included this past season when he was lost for the season with a torn ACL suffered against the Minnesota Vikings in week 3. Williams was very productive in his five years before that despite missing a few games each season with various injuries. From 2018-22, Williams had his best stretch of play, collecting 4462 yards and 30 touchdowns over 75 games. That included his 2021 season when he posted a career-best 76 receptions for 1146 yards and nine scores. Williams also had a 49-reception season in 2019, when he also surpassed the 1000-yard mark, so you can see the production when healthy. If this decision was solely based on his production, adding Williams is a no-brainer, but you can't overlook the injuries, especially the one he suffered last year. That is why most fans are questioning why the Bears would even consider adding him. Regardless of the injuries, you have to take a shot anytime you can get a player of his talents for cheap. This is the Bears opportunity to get a do over after missing out on him in 2022 which doesn't happen too often. You also have to look at the best season that Williams had and immediately point to one connection. Current Bears WR Coach Chris Beatty was his WR coach that season in Los Angeles, so they have worked together and have a great bond already. That is something to watch for as he makes his free-agent decision, but regardless of the past injuries, Williams will come cheap, and the Bears are expected to make a run at him.
