The Atlanta Falcons hired an offensive guru to be the head coach in 2021 when they poached Arthur Smith from the Tennessee Titans. They had high hopes for the offense after selecting Florida tight end Kyle Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Pigeonholing him as a tight end doesn’t do justice to what he is capable of accomplishing.
However, not even Smith could get much out of the group that he had to work with offensively. The team was already facing an uphill battle when at full strength, but things got worse as the season wore on.
Calvin Ridley played in only five games before stepping away to focus on his mental wellbeing. That left Russell Gage Jr. and Olamide Zaccheaus to lead the wide receiver group because Cordarrelle Patterson transitioned to playing running back more and more as the season wore on.
Patterson taking over as the lead back speaks volumes to what the running back group was providing. With an aging Matt Ryan under center, the team could certainly use some help at the skill position group this offseason.
With Gage a free agent and Ridley being suspended for a full season due to betting on games, an infusion of talent is needed. Luckily for Atlanta, there are numerous great wide receivers available in free agency. Regardless of whether Ridley returns or not, the Falcons would be smart to target Mike Williams according to CBS Sports.
Williams had a breakout 2021 season with the Los Angeles Chargers. Catching passes from Justin Herbert with Keenan Allen opposite of you is a luxury any wide receiver would like to have and he certainly made the most of it.
Williams set multiple career-highs in 2021, catching 76 passes 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. If he is looking to spread his wings even further as a possible true No. 1 option, the Falcons present a great opportunity for him to do so.
His skill set as a deep threat and red zone target is something the Falcons certainly need, as they can’t rely on only Pitts to catch passes. They will have to come with a competitive offer to the table because Williams is going to receive a ton of interest around the league.
The Chargers would assuredly like to keep him, but he may have priced himself out of town. The Cleveland Browns are another team to keep an eye on, as well as the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.
