With only a few hours remaining earlier than the NFL commerce deadline Tuesday, the Steelers shipped a fifth-round draft decide to the New York Jets for veteran WR Mike Williams, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Though he is on an expiring contract, Williams was a necessity for the Steelers, who wanted assist at large receiver.
Solely three Steelers large receivers — George Pickens (548 yards general), Calvin Austin III (257) and Van Jefferson (139) — have surpassed 40 yards receiving this season.
Later Tuesday, the Steelers acquired pass-rusher Preston Smith (2.5 sacks, 19 tackles this season) from the Inexperienced Bay Packers for a seventh-round draft decide. The strikes signify that Pittsburgh, which has not received a playoff recreation for the reason that 2016 season, is all-in on making a deep playoff run.
Williams, who had 12 receptions for 166 yards in 9 video games with the Jets, ought to see a direct uptick in utilization on his new group. Steelers QB Russell Wilson has accomplished an excellent job spreading the ball to his receivers in his two begins this season, finishing passes to eight totally different targets for 542 yards.
Following Wilson’s insertion because the beginning QB over Justin Fields, Pittsburgh’s offense has had back-to-back video games of 400-plus yards. The Steelers have the league’s Thirteenth-best scoring offense (23.4 PPG).
Jets QB Aaron Rodgers weighed in on what the Steelers are getting in his former teammate on “The Pat McAfee Present” following the commerce.
BREAKING NEWS: Mike Williams has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers
“He is been getting higher each week and he’ll be nice in that Steelers locker room..
That is gonna give him extra alternatives and we want him properly” ~ @AaronRodgers12
#PMSLive
pic.twitter.com/SANnCQm3zF— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 5, 2024
With the Cincinnati Bengals (4-5) and Cleveland Browns (2-7) struggling on the season’s halfway level, the AFC North seems to be a two-team race between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens (6-3). Pittsburgh (6-2) is searching for its first division title since 2020.
Making the playoffs and even ending above .500 is way from a assure for the Steelers, nonetheless. Over the ultimate 9 video games, Pittsburgh will play the Washington Commanders (7-2), Philadelphia Eagles (6-2), Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (8-0) and all six of its divisional video games.
The addition of Williams appears to be the cherry on high for an all-in strategy from Pittsburgh. Together with the likes of Fields and Wilson, he’s the thirtieth participant on the group whose contract expires on the finish of 2024, per Spotrac.
The Steelers hope Williams returns to his pre-Jets kind with the Chargers in 2021-22, when he had 1,146 and 895 yards receiving, respectively.
