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Los Angeles Chargers Should Make a Run at Maxx Williams

By Erik Lambert

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 22: Tight end Maxx Williams #87 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball past cornerback Lamarcus Joyner #20 of the St. Louis Rams in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 22: Tight end Maxx Williams #87 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball past cornerback Lamarcus Joyner #20 of the St. Louis Rams in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 22: Tight end Maxx Williams #87 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball past cornerback Lamarcus Joyner #20 of the St. Louis Rams in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – NOVEMBER 22: Tight end Maxx Williams #87 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball past cornerback Lamarcus Joyner #20 of the St. Louis Rams in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium on November 22, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

The Los Angeles Chargers entered 2018 with sky-high expectations. Many consider them favorites to challenge New England in the AFC. It was that serious.

Unfortunately, those rosy predictions may have taken a serious step backward. Despite it being only May, the Chargers have already suffered another huge injury setback on offense. Tight end Hunter Henry, the man who looked poised to take over full-time for the departed Antonio Gate, suffered a torn ACL in practice that will end his season before it even began.

This is a rough blow for the Chargers offense. Henry was one of their best red zone targets and seemed poised for a breakout season as now the sole focal point at tight end. His exit leaves the team scrambling for answers. Virgil Green certainly isn’t going to fill that void. It’s possible they could look to bring back Gates but even that doesn’t feel like a great solution. In truth, there aren’t many. GM Tom Telesco didn’t sugarcoat the matter during an interview with the Chargers website.

"“I’m not going to minimize it. He’s a Pro Bowl talent with Pro Bowl intangibles. As bad as you feel losing him, and as bad as the fans feel about it, Hunter feels worse. This team means a lot to him, and he means a lot to us.”"

Trade market may yield a solution for Chargers if they take a risk

Free agency is all but stripped bare. So if the Chargers want to take a limited gamble at finding help, they might want to consider the trade market. Among the names that offer some intrigue is Maxx Williams. The former 2nd round pick came into Baltimore with plenty of hype for his mix of size and athletic traits as a natural pass catcher. However, he was also raw and immediately began to suffer through some injury setbacks of his own.

Now the Ravens have made his place on the roster uncertain by drafting two tight ends including 1st round pick Hayden Hurst. It’s not a stretch to think Ozzie Newsome might listen to offers for Williams. The Chargers could probably get him on the cheap too given his history and lack of security. Wiliams is still just 24-years old and healthy now by all accounts. This might be a worthwhile gamble for a team in need of solutions.

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