Mike Williams explains why brief Jets tenure was such a mess after trade

The NY Jets made one of the more obvious moves at the 2024 NFL trade deadline, sending away veteran receiver Mike Williams after he failed to provide any meaningful connection with Aaron Rodgers. The Pittsburgh Steelers picked him up for a fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Playing alongside Russell Wilson, who has become famous for his moonball deep passes, might be better for Williams, who looked out of place in New York. To hear Williams tell it himself, he is thrilled about the move while lamenting the fact he never clicked with Rodgers in green and white.

Williams said that he "thought I was dreaming" when he was traded to the Steelers, giving him a chance to chase a championship while also receiving an uptick in snaps. As for the Jets, Williams chalks up his disappointing tenure to an inability to get on the same page with Rodgers all year long.

Williams said that Rodgers is very particular and detail-oriented in his offense, which can make it tough for new arrivals to get up to speed. With Williams' injury making it tough to get reps with Rodgers and build chemistry, the fit was flawed from the jump.

Mike Williams explains why NY Jets tenure never took off

Williams recorded just 12 catches and no touchdowns with the Jets. The Adams acquisition was the final nail in the coffin for Williams' Jets career, even after some believed the Allen Lazard injury would make it more likely the team would hold onto him as a possible injury replacement.

Williams is good at two things at this point in his career; making big catches down the field and using his body as a weapon in the red zone. Rodgers' ultra-safe approach to 2024 made it very difficult to use Williams in the way he should be. It's like buying a Hummer only to drop your kids off at school every day.

A trio of Adams, Garrett Wilson, and Allen Lazard would make for one of the best trios in the league. However, with Lazard hurt, the Jets will use Xavier Gipson and much-maligned rookie Malachi Corley to fill the WR3 role until they are back to full strength.

The Jets invested heavily in Williams, but it was clear from the jump that he was never going to be the player he was in Los Angeles. Perhaps he will have a better connection with Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh.

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