The New York Jets presumably signed wide receiver Mike Williams to become the No. 2 target in the passing game behind WR1 Garrett Wilson.
As expected, the Jets eased Williams along during training camp with the 29-year-old recovering from the torn ACL he suffered in September 2023. Although he was available for the season opener, as promised, Williams was used sparingly in the Monday Night Football loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
His on-field opportunities increased substantially in Week 2 and will only continue to grow according to Jets' head coach Robert Saleh. Williams saw 37 snaps (65 percent of the team total) in New York's 24-17 road win over the Tennessee Titans, a significant jump from the target-less nine reps he took during the opener against the 49ers.
"He feels good. That was one of the first questions we asked him yesterday. He feels really good," said Saleh on Tuesday in Florham Park. "He had 35 snaps from my understanding. He wants more and his body feels good, so we're going to continue to get him involved."
Williams made his lone receiving target count down the stretch in Nashville. The receiver converted a 2nd-and-16 by pulling in a 19-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers on the go-ahead fourth-quarter drive.
Since being drafted at No. 7 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2017, Williams has shown a knack for the big play. Over 90 career appearances, he's averaging 15.6 yards per reception.
Although he appears close to reaching his pre-injury form, it's uncertain if Williams will see a noticeable bump in reps in Game 3 because of the short week. The Jets have only three full days in between Sunday's win and their Thursday Night Football home opener against the New England Patriots.
Even though his play count may not change this week, his target share should increase as Rodgers becomes more familiar with Williams.
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