COSTA MESA — Nearly six months after the Chargers drafted him No. 7 overall, Mike Williams is finally going to make his NFL debut. Maybe. Probably.
“I think he’s very close,” Coach Anthony Lynn said Wednesday. “We’ll see at the end of the week where he’s at.”
Limited since spring by a back injury, the 6-foot-4, 218-pound receiver sounded even more optimistic.
“I’m expecting to play,” Williams said. “I’m gonna practice hard, go through all the plays. Whatever decision the coaches make, I’m going to be ready for it.”
Sorry for the wait 🙏🏾
— Mike Williams (@darealmike_dub) October 10, 2017
After winning a national championship at Clemson, Williams left school as one of the top wideouts available in the NFL draft. His selection by the Chargers (1-4) signaled a “win now” philosophy: Rather than shoring up the defense or finding a young passer, the franchise instead gave 35-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers another weapon.
That connection has yet to be realized. After the first day of rookie minicamp in early May, the Chargers began holding Williams out of practices due to tightness in his lower back. In early June, the team revealed that he was dealing with a mild disc herniation. Eight weeks later, it ruled him out of training camp entirely.
Williams did not return to practice until mid-September, and has gradually increased his workload over the past several weeks. He remained limited on Wednesday, but Rivers already sounds impressed.
“You’ve seen him on tape,” said the six-time Pro Bowler, “and then seeing him up close, you know he’s a guy that has great range. And then just down the field, the way he can track the ball and catch it. And then I think on the short and intermediate stuff, you can really put it in a lot of different places to protect the throw. His size alone protects the throw.”
Added Lynn: “The guy has some incredible ball skills.”
https://twitter.com/thejackwang/status/818685126661939201
Williams’ ability to high-point a ball and make contested catches could help open up an inconsistent Chargers offense. In Rivers’ 11 previous seasons as a starter, the Chargers ranked in the top 10 in the league on third-down conversions every year except 2007 and 2012. So far this fall, they are 20th with just a 37.7-percent success rate.
Still, it’s unclear how long it might take for the 23-year-old to earn a significant role. Keenan Allen ranks third in the league in targets (52) and fourth in receiving yards (401). Rivers has thrown to four other Chargers at least 20 times each, a list that doesn’t include second-year tight end Hunter Henry (18 targets).
Williams could become a starter in the next month or two, but the Chargers probably aren’t going to rush him into a full workload this Sunday against the Raiders (2-3).
“If he’s ready to go,” Lynn said, “I think you obviously have to put him on some type of snap count because he hasn’t played football in a long time.”
Given how long Williams has already waited, that sounds a lot better than watching in street clothes.
“I’m just being patient,” he said. “The opportunity’s surely coming.”
Extra points
Melvin Gordon was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after totaling 163 yards from scrimmage — the second-highest total of his career — in a win against the Giants. … Running back Branden Oliver returned to practice on Wednesday after being left inactive last Sunday with a hamstring injury. In addition to Oliver and Williams, three Chargers were limited on Wednesday: right tackle Joe Barskdale (foot), linebacker Jatavis Brown (ankle), receiver Dontrelle Inman (hamstring). … The Chargers signed former Dolphins cornerback A.J. Hendy to their practice squad.
