Mike Williams was supposed to go on a longer free-agency tour. But those teams will have to look elsewhere for a receiver.
Per multiple reports, the Jets have agreed to sign Williams to a one-year deal worth up to $15 million.
Williams was previously slated to visit with the Panthers and Steelers.
Williams, 29, is coming off a torn ACL suffered during the Chargers’ Week 3 matchup with the Vikings. He was off to a hot start in 2023, catching 19 passes for 249 yards with a touchdown in three games.
The No. 7 overall pick of the 2017 draft, Williams has battled through various injuries in his career. He missed much of his rookie season due to a back injury and a knee injury. He had another back issue in 2022, finishing the regular season with 63 catches for 895 yards and four TDs.
Williams has twice gone over 1,000 yards in a season — 2019 and 2021. He led the league with 20.4 yards per reception in 2019.
In 88 career games, Williams has recorded 309 catches for 4,806 yards with 31 touchdowns.
Now Williams should help improve a receiving corps that’s expected to have Aaron Rodgers as its quarterback in 2024.
The Vikings have agreed to a one-year deal with a maximum value of $6 million with cornerback Shaq Griffin, Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report reports.
The Vikings will be Griffin’s fifth team in eight years, having played four seasons with the Seahawks and two with the Jaguars before splitting time with the Texans and Panthers last season. Houston cut him Nov. 29, and Carolina claimed him off waivers.
He made 13 game appearances with seven starts in 2023, totaling 39 tackles, one interception and five pass breakups.
Griffin, 28, was a third-round pick of the Seahawks in 2017, and he made the Pro Bowl in 2019.
In his career, Griffin has 366 tackles, seven interceptions, 64 passes defensed and a forced fumble.
The Panthers signed edge rusher D.J. Wonnum after trading Brian Burns to the Giants, so it is no surprise that a lot of people view Wonnum as Burns’ replacement on Carolina’s defense.
That’s not how Wonnum is viewing himself, however. During a press conference on Monday, Wonnum was asked about filling the void left behind by Burns and he said that his focus is only on himself.
“Well, I’m not looking to replace anybody,” Wonnum said, via Anthony Rizzuti of USAToday.com. “I’m looking to be the best version of myself, the best player I know I can be. And obviously, the film that I’ve put out there, I can be an every-down starter. I can play the run, I can pass rush, I can drop in coverage, I can do whatever coach wants me to do. Obviously going here and coming here, I’ll be able to showcase that. And the future is bright for myself and the Carolina Panthers.”
Wonnum recorded 23 sacks while playing with Danielle Hunter in Minnesota the last four years. He doesn’t have the same kind of complementary player on the other side of the line in Carolina, so the hope will be that the best version of Wonnum is capable of making an even bigger impact.
The Panthers have agreed to terms with offensive tackle Yosh Nijman, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports.
Nijman, 28, has played every possible game in his four-year career with the Packers but only 22 of his 67 game appearances were starts.
He started one game in 2023, playing 231 offensive snaps and 108 on special teams.
In his career, Nijman has played 1,591 offensive snaps and 341 on special teams.
He went undrafted in 2019, signing with the Packers.
The Chargers have found a center.
Los Angeles is signing Bradley Bozeman to a one-year deal, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
Bozeman, 29, was released by the Panthers earlier this month. He served as Carolina’s starting center for the last two seasons, playing every offensive snap for the club in 2023.
A sixth-round pick in the 2018 draft, Bozeman became a full-time starter in 2019 and played nearly every snap for the team over the next three seasons. He signed with the Panthers after completing his rookie contract.
Los Angeles needed a center with Corey Linsley likely to retire. He played three games before he was sidelined for the rest of the season with a heart issue.
The Chargers also announced they’ve signed linebacker Troy Dye, who is likely to be a heavy special teams contributor. He was a Vikings’ fourth-round pick in 2020 and appeared in 60 games with eight starts for the club. In 2023, he was on the field for 77 percent of special teams snaps in games played.
