The Jets’ offense took another step toward becoming complete Wednesday when wideout Mike Williams was activated off the physically unable to perform list, making him eligible for his training camp debut.
Williams, who hasn’t practiced throughout the first two-plus weeks of camp while continuing to recover from a torn ACL sustained last year, signed a one-year deal worth up to $15 million with Gang Green in March to become their No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson and provide another target for Aaron Rodgers.
When asked about Williams on Tuesday, head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged that the 29-year-old was on a similar recovery timeline to the one that Jets running back Breece Hall followed last year when returning from an ACL tear — a process that ultimately resulted in Hall’s presence in the Week 1 lineup.
“We’ll see,” Saleh said about Williams’ looming practice return Wednesday, 24 hours before that outlook became significantly more concrete. “I know he’s got a couple doctor’s visits coming up, but right now, he’s just progressing.
Williams, a former first-round pick who spent the first seven years of his career with the Chargers, caught 19 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown across three games last year before suffering the season-ending injury.
He topped 1,000 yards in 2019 and 2021, and he said after signing with the Jets that he felt they were a “great fit” for him, especially with the opportunity to play alongside Wilson — who reminded Williams of longtime Chargers star Keenan Allen.
“I feel like we can complement each other,” Williams said in March. “The running game is pretty good. The defense is elite. I just feel like we’ve got a pretty good opportunity ahead of us. I’m just looking forward to it.”
