Mike Williams appears destined to be a prime cap casualty this offseason. The Chargers’ significant salary cap overshoot for the upcoming season makes it a logical move to part ways with Williams, especially considering his recent ACL injury, which would also free up more than $20 million in cap space.

While this decision is financially sound and practically necessary for the Chargers, it does raise concerns regarding the team’s wide receiver corps. Keenan Allen is aging, Joshua Palmer has struggled with injuries, and Quentin Johnston’s potential has yet to materialize. Though Derius Davis excels on special teams, he’s not poised to become a consistent offensive contributor.

Even if the Chargers opt to draft a receiver within the first three rounds, they’ll still require additional depth at the position. This is where free agency becomes crucial. Despite limited financial resources, the Chargers could seek to sign a veteran receiver to a one-year contract at a reasonable price, bolstering their depth chart for the upcoming season.

3 wide receivers the Chargers may sign to replace Mike Williams:

Donovan Peoples-Jones

Donovan Peoples-Jones had a disappointing season in terms of both traditional statistics and advanced metrics. His struggles in creating separation raise concerns, particularly for a team like the Chargers.

However, it’s worth noting that Peoples-Jones is still young, at just 24 years old, and has demonstrated his ability to be productive in the NFL. Despite his limitations in separation, he excels as a jump-ball receiver, a valuable asset for the Chargers now that Williams is no longer with the team.

While Peoples-Jones may not be the flashiest option available, he aligns well with the Chargers’ needs and brings added value with his familiarity with Jim Harbaugh’s coaching from their time together at Michigan. Considering these factors, he could be a sensible and cost-effective addition for the Chargers.

Van Jefferson

Van Jefferson’s stint with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023 was intended to boost his value, but unfortunately, he was hindered by offensive struggles and subpar quarterback play, which limited his opportunities to showcase his abilities consistently.

This setback followed a similarly underwhelming 2022 season with the LA Rams, where offensive disarray and a personal injury impacted his performance, despite a promising 2021 campaign where he displayed reliability as a deep-threat receiver under Sean McVay.

At 27 years old, Jefferson still holds potential to be a steady contributor given the right circumstances. His previous success as a deep-ball threat with the Rams suggests he could fulfill a similar role for the Chargers, especially considering his reasonable valuation of $2.14 million by Over The Cap.

While Jefferson may not possess the same jump-ball prowess as other receivers, his strength lies in his ability to create separation and excel in open-field deep routes. Pairing him with a potential first-round pick like Brock Bowers could provide the Chargers with a diversified receiving corps, with Jefferson serving as a valuable field-stretching option as the WR4.

Noah Brown

Noah Brown is another deep-threat receiver that the Chargers can look to bring in if the price is right. There might me more of a market for Brown than the other two players on this list but the Chargers can still look to sign him at a reasonable price.

OTC has his value at under $4 million and the Chargers could definitely make a two-year, $7-7.5 million contract work. That would be a pay bump from what he made last season, so it is not unheard of if Brown ends up signing at that price.

Houston might look to one-up the Chargers offer or another team needing a deep threat could offer as much as $5 or $6 million. But at the end of the day, the opportunity to play under Jim Harbaugh and with Justin Herbert might be too good for Brown to pass up.

Brown has been very consistent the last two years so the Chargers would know what they are getting out of him. In 2022 with the Cowboys, Brown finished with 43 catches for 555 yards and three touchdowns. In 2023 with the Texans, Brown finished with 33 catches for 567 yards and two touchdowns.

Brown is not going to be someone who leads the way in receptions but the big-play potential is there between he and Herbert. The 28-year-old receiver ranked fourth in the league in yards per reception last season with 17.2, which is higher than any mark Williams has had since 2018.