Panthers To Host Mike Williams On A Visit

The Carolina Panthers plan to host former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams (knee) for a visit next week, according to a league source. Williams, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3 of last year, was released earlier this week due to salary cap purposes. The 29-year-old they call Big Mike was set to make $20 million in the final year of his three-year extension in 2024. Now that most of the big free agents have already chosen new teams, Williams is one of the biggest names available on the open market and would give young quarterback Bryce Young a big new target in the passing game after Carolina already traded for wideout Diontae Johnson. The former seventh overall pick in 2017 by the Bolts out of Clemson has two 1,000-yard seasons in his seven NFL campaigns and scored nine touchdowns in 2021, but his lengthy injury history outweighs his upside at this point.