Every year we find ourselves as football fans overly excited about the potential start of the NFL regular season. Thankfully, there are minicamps and preseason games scheduled to satisfy our football watching needs. As the Los Angeles Chargers prepare for the 2018-19 season, it will be the Mike Williams show on full display.
The Letdown
In 2017, the Chargers drafted Williams seventh overall in the first round. While playing at Clemson he provided NFL scouts with substantial evidence he was ready for the pros. The Chargers selected him hoping he could make an immediate impact. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his rookie year.
After suffering a herniated disk in his lower back during the offseason, Williams missed valuable time on the field. His lower back injury caused him to miss the entire training camp, preseason games, and the first six games of the 2017 regular season.
To make matters worse, in Week 13, Williams suffered a knee injury and only saw limited action the rest of the year. These injury setbacks were unforeseen, but not unexpected in the NFL. Regardless of the injuries, he suffered in his rookie year, the Bolts are still high on Williams.
Expectations
There are frequently used words or phrases associated with football players such as playmaking-ability and marketability. The most important word, though, is availability.
Williams’ body will have to prove it can handle the rigors of an NFL schedule. If Williams can play in all 16 games, it will be a success. As a first-round, seventh overall draft pick, the expectations for him overall are extremely high. The Chargers have a lot to look forward to this year, having a healthy Williams in the lineup is definitely one of them.