When the Detroit Lions traded up in the 2022 NFL to select wide receiver Jameson Williams, they did so knowing they would need to be patient with him. Williams was recovering from a torn ACL, and he only played one complete season of college football. Despite the injury history and inexperience, Lions general manager Brad Holmes felt that the talent was too good to pass on. Williams likely would have been the top receiver on the board if not for the injury concerns.
The move up finally started to pay dividends for the Lions in Williams’ third year. He had his first 1,000-yard season and eight total touchdowns to go along with it. That was somewhat of a breakout season, but many believe that Williams will reach even greater heights this year. Here are three keys to Jamo taking his game to another level and having a true breakout season.
The torn ACL in the 2022 National Championship was not the only thing that held Williams back at the beginning of his career. At the start of the 2023 season, Williams was handed a six-game suspension (reduced to four games) for violating the league’s gambling policy. These were non-NFL games, but the bets took place at the team’s facility.
In October of 2024, Williams was the passenger in a traffic stop where two guns, one licensed to him and one to his brother, were found. His brother had a concealed pistol license (CPL), but Williams did not. Ultimately, the Wayne County prosecutor’s office declined to file charges against him, and the case was closed.
A little over two weeks later, Williams received another suspension, this time for two games for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. He stated that he was completely surprised by the news but took accountability for the situation.
So far this offseason, the only stories about Williams have been football-based. He seems to have learned from his past mistakes and is now entirely focused on his craft. Hopefully, that remains the case throughout the remainder of the off-season and the entire year. The Lions are looking to make another deep run in the post-season, and a fully locked-in Jamo will be needed to achieve this.
Williams is known for his blazing speed, but you cannot solely rely on running nine routes if you want to be a complete receiver. Fortunately, reports indicate that there have been significant improvements in his route running during organized team activities. That, plus the ability to stop on a dime, will make him extremely difficult to cover. Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke very highly about Williams during a recent press conference.
“The sky’s the limit for him. He, he’s exactly where we want him to be right now, at this point, man.”
Along with the route running, Williams has improved his strength, versatility, and overall athleticism. He said himself that he has put on five pounds of muscle so far this off-season. That will help with withstanding contact and winning at the line of scrimmage.
The chemistry between the receiver and quarterback is pivotal, but perhaps just as crucial is the relationship between the receiver and the offensive coordinator. In terms of rhythm, timing, efficiency, and the overall execution of a given play, chemistry is vital. If they are not on the right page, this could lead to lining up incorrectly, running the wrong routes, or penalties for delay of game.
Fortunately, regarding Williams and new Lions OC John Morton, they seem to be on the same page thus far. He, along with Campbell, are both expecting a breakout season. Morton has noted the work ethic and attention to detail of Williams and is excited to use his speed with more downfield route concepts.
Many may not know much about Morton (some initially thought this was the former Lions receiver), but his resume speaks for itself. He was the passing coordinator for the 2006 Saints, the 49ers receivers coach from 2011-14, and, most recently, the passing game coordinator for the Broncos. Those stops included a team that led the league in passing yards (Saints), a Super Bowl run (49ers), and a playoff appearance with a rookie QB (Broncos). Morton has been successful pretty much everywhere he has gone. With an already ready-to-win roster in Detroit, the success should continue.
Despite losing OC Ben Johnson to the Bears and center Frank Ragnow to retirement, this could still be a very special season for the Detroit Lions. Jared Goff, who some consider to be a top-five NFL QB, will be getting all of his pivotal offensive weapons back: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Sam LaPorta, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and the aforementioned Jameson Williams.
This Williams and St. Brown duo has the potential to be very special. I’m not talking just a one-two punch but more like one A and one B. Think along the lines of Isaac Bruce and Torrey Holt in 2000, Anquan Bolden and Larry Fitzgerald in 2005 (with a much better record, hopefully), or, to keep it right here with the Lions, Brett Perriman and Herman Moore in 1995. Two receivers with 100-plus catches are not out of the realm of possibility with this level of talent. If that, or something close happens, the Lions could very well be playing in Levi’s Stadium next February for a Lombardi Trophy.
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