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Rich Cimini, ESPN staff writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Somewhere in Malibu, California — or wherever he is this week — New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers is smiling.
Back in New Jersey, the Chiefs have, over the course of nine days, ramped up their support scene in a pedal-to-the-metal effort to add a Super Bowl III trophy mate — in Rodgers’ words. — “Looks a little lonely” at the band’s show.
The latest increase came Tuesday with news that former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams had signed a one-year contract worth up to $15 million.
Rodgers is 40 years old, so there is no such thing as building for the future. General manager Joe Douglas, recently warned by owner Woody Johnson, is filling holes with big-name players whose free-agent markets are worried about strength concerns.
He landed eight-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tyrone Smith, 33, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract (with another 13.5 million available in incentives). That’s how he met Williams, 29, who had ACL surgery six months ago and certainly has plenty of playing time incentives.
The hope is that Williams and Smith will overcome age and injury and team up with a healthy Rodgers to make last season’s nightmare disappear. The Jets, who got four games from Rodgers without his left Achilles, managed 29th and 31st yards last season.
Their offensive scheme was primarily to force backup quarterback (pick one, anyone) passes to wide receiver Garrett Wilson or run check throws to Brees Hall. They needed another weapon to ease the pressure on Wilson. That led them to Williams, whose size (6-foot-4) and ability to win contested balls should be a good complement to the quick and slick Wilson.
“As far as the receiving department, we’ve got some good young guys and we’ve got some good vets,” Wilson said after the season. “But someone who brings something different to the table that gives the defense something to worry about, another distraction, I think is good for everybody, not just me.”
Wilson was diplomatic. In fact, the receiving department is filled with question marks, none more so than Allen Lazard, who landed on the bench after signing a four-year, $44 million contract in free agency. Because of that mistake, Douglas had to go back in the market for Williams.
“If he’s healthy, he’s a starter, but he’s more of a No. 2,” the AFC personnel director said. “Looks like a solid move for the Jets — if healthy.”
Williams missed 18 games in 2022, including the Chargers’ playoff loss. His numbers were average in 2022 (63 catches, 895 yards and four touchdowns). He hasn’t been an impact player since 2021, when he had career highs in catches (76) and receiving yards (1,146).
It’s hard to imagine he can regain that level after three years and surgery, but the Jets don’t need him to be the star of the show. They have Wilson and Hall to handle that. They want Williams to be an extra player that Rodgers can rely on.
Based on past performance, it should be a fruitful association. From 2018, his sophomore year, Williams led the NFL in at least 200 catches with an average of 15.8 receiving yards. From 2018 to 2022, Rodgers led the league with 6,387 passing yards while targeting straight lines, according to Next Gen Stats.
With Wilson and Williams on the outside, and dual-threat Hall in the backfield, the Jets can attack all areas of the field. The last time that resume included two receivers with 1,000-yard seasons was 2016 with Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker. They have a tight end in Tyler Conklin, but they could add fire at that position by drafting someone like Georgia’s Brooke Bowers with the 10th overall pick, which ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper predicted in Tuesday’s mock draft.
Suddenly, Douglas has a lot of flexibility with this pick. By signing Williams and adding Smith to Morgan Moses and left guard John Simpson, Douglas filled some pressing needs on offense. Now he can sit back and take the best player, whether Bowers or another tackle or receiver, if one of the top three prospects slips — Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., LSU’s Malik Nabers or Washington’s Rome Odunze.
Bottom line: Rodgers’ supporting cast is better than it was a year ago. It’s an old team, with a lot of one-year contracts (and injuries), but only one year matters to the now-beaten Jets.