NFL Trade Rumors: Mike Williams Linked to Chargers; Thielen, Slayton Among WR Targets
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The Los Angeles Chargers have been named as a “potential team to watch” to land current New York Jets wide receiver (and ex-Charger wideout) Mike Williams prior to Tuesday’s trade deadline, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (conversation begins at 1:50 mark).
Ian Rapoport @RapSheet
The Insiders on @NFLGameDay with @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero: A focus on the trade deadline, with a look at the edge market – Za’Darius Smith and Azeez Ojulari – and what WRs could get dealt. pic.twitter.com/VLSKr37of6
In addition, Pelissero named three more wideouts—the Carolina Panthers’ Adam Thielen, the New York Giants’ Darius Slayton and the New England Patriots’ K.J. Osborn—as trade candidates for teams looking for wide receivers before the deadline.
Mike Williams signed a one-year contract with the Jets prior to the 2024 season, but he was bumped down the depth chart after New York traded for wide receiver Davante Adams. However, he’s still in the mix after Allen Lazard landed on injured reserve with a chest injury. ESPN’s Rich Cimini reported on Thursday that “Lazard’s absence means the Jets are more likely to retain Mike Williams instead of making him available for trades.”
For the season, Williams has just 12 catches for 166 yards and no touchdowns. But he’d be a great fit back with his old team in the Chargers, which could use more enforcements on the outside. Outside of Ladd McConkey, no other wideout has more than 15 receptions.
As far as the other wideouts mentioned, Thielen remains on injured reserve since September with a hamstring injury. He did turn in two limited practices on Wednesday and Thursday but didn’t practice Friday and was later ruled doubtful (and then out) for Sunday’s home game against the New Orleans Saints.
The 34-year-old Thielen has eight catches for 109 yards and a touchdown in three games.
Slayton, a six-year veteran, has played his entire career with the Giants. He’s caught 29 passes for 420 yards and one touchdown and just posted a 108-yard game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Giants are 2-6, and Slayton is an impending free agent. As Dan Duggan of The Athletic noted, if the team doesn’t want to re-sign Slayton, then a trade is the next logical move.
“I’ve heard that the Giants haven’t had any extension talks with Darius Slayton and Azeez Ojulari. The Giants have to know if they want to re-sign them at this point, and they should have a gauge on their markets and the players’ interest in potentially re-signing.
“Those factors should dictate how they operate over the next 48 hours. If the Giants aren’t planning to re-sign them or don’t believe they’ll be able to, the obvious decision is to trade them for whatever they can get.
“I think it’s that simple.”
Osborn is on a one-year deal with the 2-6 Patriots, another team likely playing out the string of a lost season. If the 27-year-old is getting interest in the trade market, it would behoove the Pats to make a deal.
He’s had a quiet season with just seven receptions for 57 yards and one touchdown, but he averaged 53 receptions for 615 yards and five scores with the Minnesota Vikings from 2021-2023.
Overall, as Pelissero noted, the wide receiver trade market has been hot so far, and it would be a surprise if another wideout or two didn’t get on the move prior to Tuesday afternoon at this point, especially with all the buzz that remains around the position.
