Why did the Pittsburgh Steelers give up a fifth-round pick for WR Mike Williams? It’s a question that is growing more and more relevant with each passing week. We have come a long way from his 32-yard game-winning touchdown pass against the Washington Commanders, and he has not.
Not that it is his fault, by any means, as the simple reality is that the Steelers aren’t targeting him. Even though he has averaged more than 20 snaps the past three games, Williams isn’t seeing any opportunities. One might think the Steelers acquired him to help down the stretch in the division, but—he’s not. So what was the point? Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wonders.
“To this point, it looks like it may have been a relatively pointless trade other than for depth purposes”, Batko wrote in a recent chat session about the Mike Williams deal. “I think he’s generally doing what they ask of him in his role, but I don’t know when or if that role will increase. It’s gonna be a fast-moving train the rest of this season”.
The perplexing part of the equation is the fact that the Steelers are not even deep at wide receiver. While 10 different players gained at least 10 receiving yards on Sunday, that doesn’t speak to quality depth. And it doesn’t explain why Mike Williams wasn’t one of those 10, considering he played 17 snaps.
The good news is that it doesn’t seem to be a big issue for Williams. While he would obviously like to contribute more, he knows he can only make the plays in front of him. And unlike his time with the New York Jets, he gets to enjoy actually winning games. He is 3-1 with the Steelers, having gone 3-6 in New York, while also minimally contributing.
Still, the Steelers traded a mid-round pick for Mike Williams, generally an indicator of an intention to use a player. Why would they have given up a fifth-round pick for a fourth or fifth wide receiver? Because right now he is playing less on offense than Ben Skowronek.
With WR Calvin Austin III in the concussion protocol, perhaps there is a chance he could have some contributing role this week. Austin has been on a hot streak, and is probably one of the reasons Williams isn’t playing much. Or rather, isn’t seeing targets, because he is playing a reasonable amount.
Whether the move was wise or not, we won’t know until the end of the season. There could still come a time when Mike Williams plays a crucial role for this Steelers team. Whether that is because they just decide to start throwing his way or because he has to step up because of an injury, it doesn’t matter. They know he is there and presumably know what he can do. They’re just not requiring his services—for now.
