The Los Angeles Chargers were just one win (or tie) in Week 18 from making the playoffs in the 2021 season but fell short in a loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Despite a disappointing end of the season for the team, there were some major bright spots for the team that they can look back at positively. Quarterback Justin Herbert was excellent, throwing for 5,014 yards and 38 touchdowns on the season. A big part of this was the emergence of wide receiver Mike Williams as a true top option, racking up 76 catches for 1,146 yards and 9 touchdowns on the year.
The Chargers seem to have realized Williams’ importance to their success too. Tuesday, Ian Rapoport reported that the team was working to extend Williams this offseason on a 3-year deal rather than franchise tagging him.
Sources: The #Chargers and star WR Mike Williams are closing in on a huge new contract extension to beat the franchise tag deadline and keep him in LA for years to come.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2022
Williams will receive $60 million throughout those three years with $40 million guaranteed.
3 year $60mil (40M fully guaranteed at signing) https://t.co/udMkEiFBq4
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2022
This news has many Chargers fans eager to see him back next season after another offseason of development alongside Herbert.
No surprise here… he earned it last year. https://t.co/QngYlesGEn
— Taylor Bisciotti (@TaylorBisciotti) March 8, 2022
Ahhhh! I knew something was bound to happen and here we are. https://t.co/pO75EV2njB
— Darrius Smith (@iamDSMITH86) March 8, 2022
Russell Wilson coming to Denver, Mike Williams staying in LA. The AFC West is gonna be nuts next year. #Chiefs https://t.co/QICl7dM82p
— Dillon Davis (@dillondavis3) March 8, 2022
Awesome for both parties. Helps the cap too to avoid the tag. https://t.co/dfaRC6Ofha
— Brentley Weissman (@Brentley12) March 8, 2022
Meanwhile, teams that are in need of receivers in free agency are certainly upset that Williams will be staying in Los Angeles.
So who is gonna be a FA WR, other than Nelson Agholor? https://t.co/VanAcAPra7
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) March 8, 2022
Things quickly going from bad to worse for the #Eagles https://t.co/cooH69tgCj
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) March 8, 2022
The AFC West had two playoff teams last season in the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, so the Chargers needed to keep up with the competition within the division, especially now that Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos.
This re-signing is certainly a step in that direction as the Chargers look to get back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2018 season.