It was a much-anticipated move for a few weeks, and just hours before the 4 PM/ET trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers landed their man. They traded for New York Jets’ wide receiver Mike Williams, reportedly sending a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Jets in the process.
After the Jets traded for star receiver Davante Adams ahead of their Week 7 matchup on the road against the Steelers, Williams to the Steelers was a move that had been hotly rumored.
Now that it’s finally done, many are calling it a good move for the Steelers. Former NFL GM Rick Spielman is all in on the move for the Steelers, calling Williams a “perfect fit” for Pittsburgh and quarterback Russell Wilson.
Appearing on CBS Sports HQ’s live show, Spielman reacted in real time to the Williams news, giving the Steelers an “A” for the trade.
“I thought this was a perfect fit to go along with [George] Pickens because now you have Russell Wilson at quarterback. I think he’s a better thrower than Justin Fields is. Now it gives them another weapon,” Spielman said, according to video via CBS Sports on YouTube. “They really don’t have anyone, in my opinion, besides Pickens.
“So if you got another big body that can go down and get the ball down the field when he’s healthy, I think this is a great fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
On paper, it seems like a really solid fit for the Steelers. Williams has always been a big-play, downfield weapon, one who can win contested catches by utilizing his size and strength to make plays above the rim.
In the first two games of his Steelers career, Russell Wilson has shown a tendency to take shots down the field and give his receivers a chance to make plays on the football.
Though his production was limited in New York, Williams was still quite good in contested catch situations, hauling in five-of-seven passes in contested-catch situations. In his career, Williams is 94-for-171 (55%) in contested-catch situations. That’ll play well with Wilson, who likes to throw the moon ball and give his guys a chance.
While the acquisition of Williams after an offseason of the Steelers being linked to the likes of Brandon Aiyuk and Courtland Sutton isn’t all that exciting, at a minimum Williams fits well into what the Steelers want to do offensively. He gives Pittsburgh a solid boost in its receiver room too, which should help take some added attention away from George Pickens down the field.
