The Jets’ offense took another step toward completion on Wednesday when wide receiver Mike Williams came off the physically unable to play list, making him eligible to make his training camp debut.
Williams didn’t practice for the first two weeks of camp as he continued to recover from a torn ACL he suffered last year, but he signed a one-year contract with Gang Green in March worth up to $15 million to become the team’s No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson and another target for Aaron Rodgers.
When asked about Williams on Tuesday, coach Robert Saleh acknowledged that the 29-year-old is undergoing a similar recovery schedule to the one Jets running back Breece Hall underwent last year when returning from a torn ACL, a process that ultimately resulted in Hall being in the lineup for Week 1.
“We’ll see,” Saleh said of Williams’ planned return to practice on Wednesday, 24 hours before that outlook became much more concrete. “I know he’s got a couple of appointments coming up, but right now he’s on the road to recovery.”
Williams, a former first-round draft pick who spent the first seven years of his career with the Chargers, had 19 catches for 249 yards and one touchdown in three games last year before suffering a season-ending injury.
Williams, who surpassed 1,000 yards in 2019 and 2021, said after signing with the Jets that he felt the Jets were a “good fit” for him, especially with the opportunity to play alongside Wilson, who reminded Williams of longtime Chargers star Keenan Allen.
“I feel like we complement each other well,” Williams said in March. “The running game is pretty good. The defense is top-notch. I feel like we have a pretty good chance spread out in front of us. I’m just looking forward to it.”
