COSTA MESA, Calif. — Mike Williams has looked like the real deal so far during training camp, torching New Orleans Saints‘ defenders during joint practices last week and regularly getting open against his own defense.
Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt has said he likes how much Williams has grown as a wide receiver in his second season.
“He’s shown us throughout the course of camp all of the different things he can do,” Whisenhunt said. “Whether it’s running a shallow crossing route or a curl, you felt like he could catch some of the balls down the field and make the contested catches.
“But some of the crossing routes and those types of things, you didn’t see him do a lot of that in college. So, I think he’s expanded his ability to line up in different spots and do different things.”
Whisenhunt went on to say Williams is not just a receiver you line up wide and throw jump balls to, but that he is evolving into a wideout who can run the complete route tree, which makes him even more of a threat at different areas of the field.
Last season, Williams, the No. 7 overall pick, dealt with back and knee issues and finished with just 11 catches for 95 yards as a rookie. Williams said one of the things that has improved since last season is his rapport with quarterback Philip Rivers.
“Just the physical standpoint of being able to go out there and practice every day, it’s getting better,” Williams said. “We come in every day and watch film, and that connection has gotten better just from me being out there.”
However, the Chargers will need the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Williams to step up as a big-bodied target in the red zone.
With Hunter Henry out due to a knee injury and Antonio Gates still unsigned, Williams is expected to step in to fill the void as someone who can serve as a reliable red zone target for Rivers.
“For Mike, it’s going to be day-in and day-out, how consistent can he be?” Rivers said. “We’ve seen flashes and the big plays, but can he do it every day? He’s pretty much shown us that. He’s out here every day, and you just see him working and pushing through.”
Gates and Henry combined for 75 receptions for 895 yards and seven touchdowns last season, with six of those scores coming in the red zone.
The Chargers finished a disappointing No. 28 in the league in red zone efficiency last season, so Williams could help them improve in that area.
“I feel like I can help that a lot,” Williams said, when asked about being productive in the red zone. “A big, physical receiver like I am, I can go down there and make the contested plays in the red zone.
“The closer you get down there, the field gets smaller, so I feel like you need bigger bodies down there for those type of situations. So I feel like I can make the contested catches down there and dominate.”
The Chargers are missing one of the best red zone targets in league history with the absence of Gates.
According to ESPN Stats & Information research, 90 of Gates’ 114 career touchdowns have come in the red zone — second most all time and the most of any player since he entered the league in 2003.
Gates also has converted 235 of his 275 catches on third down into first downs, the second most among all players since he entered the league; only Anquan Boldin (254) had more over that time period, per ESPN Stats & Information data.
Williams has four receptions for 56 yards through three preseason games, including a 25-yard reception for a score on a fade route in the back of the end zone against the Seattle Seahawks two weeks ago.
“You can’t just say Mike’s going to line up on the right side and they’re going to throw him a jump ball,” Whisenhunt said. “He might run a crossing route. He might run a shallow [crossing route]. He might line up in the slot. There’s a lot of different places he can appear, and that’s good, because he’s a big guy who does a nice job going up and getting the ball — and that’s a valuable commodity in the red zone.”
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