The Los Angeles Chargers are poised to make a splash in NFL free agency, but the first move the franchise makes will reportedly be keeping wide receiver Mike Williams.
Williams, coming off his second 1,000-yard season in three years, is on the verge of testing the open market. While the Chargers want to sign him to a long-term deal, they seem to be willing to do whatever it takes to keep him in Los Angeles.
- Mike Williams stats (2021): 76 receptions, 1,146 receiving yards, 9 touchdowns, 51 first downs
According to Tyler Dragon of USA Today, the Chargers “aren’t going to let Mike Williams go” and are set to use the franchise tag on him if necessary.
The deadline to apply the tag on Williams is Tuesday, meaning the front office is still pushing for an extension in the meantime. If the two sides can’t agree on terms for a long-term deal, Williams would receive a significant raise from his $15.68 million salary this past season.
Under NFL rules, the franchise tag is fully guaranteed and the entire figure counts against a team’s cap space. Because of that, the Chargers will be more incentivized to work out a multi-year contract, allowing them to spread out the cap hit across multiple seasons.