The Chargers on Wednesday released Mike Williams, making the veteran wide receiver a free agent just before the start of the 2024 New League Year.
These decisions are never easy, especially for an accomplished player such as Williams, someone who was also beloved in the locker room for both his toughness on the field and personality off of it.
When Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz was introduced to media members in early February, he noted there was "some work to do" in relation to the Bolts salary cap situation.
The move to release Williams falls in line with that work. According to Over the Cap, the Bolts will save $20 million on their 2024 salary cap after letting Williams go.
The Chargers still have staying power at wide receiver, with Keenan Allen, Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis under contract in 2024.
And there's always a chance the Chargers add to that room in either free agency or the draft, too.
I expect the wide receiver group to thrive under new wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal, who has elevated his position group everywhere he's been in his nearly 20-year NFL career.
They will just have to do it without Williams, who was a star at times with the Bolts after being the No. 7 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
He appeared in 88 career games with the Chargers, catching 309 passes for 4,806 yards and 31 touchdowns.
Williams provided so many memorable moments, too, none more exciting than the 2018 road win against the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.
Williams provided a big-play threat with both Philip Rivers and Justin Herbert but had unfortunately been hampered by injuries in recent seasons.
He played a full season just once in his career and missed multiple games in the past two seasons, including the Bolts Wild Card playoff game after the 2022 season.
Williams is also coming off a torn ACL he suffered in Week 3 of the 2023 season.
Losing Williams is tough for many reasons, but given the Bolts financial situation — and with new Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh having a clear want to increase the run game — this was the best move for the Chargers for both now and the future.
