Allen Park, Michigan — The coaching staff of the Detroit Lions is sending a message to the football community.
One of their young receivers is not only growing but also maturing, with the goal of becoming a key offensive weapon and the focal point of the offense by 2025.
That athlete? Jameson Williams, the wide receiver, is the one.
Williams was selected 12th overall in 2022, but his career has been difficult thus far due to a combination of injuries, suspensions, and most recently, a standout year.
Due to a knee injury, he missed a large amount of his debut season. In 2023, he was suspended for four games for breaking the NFL’s gambling policy.
He then had a breakthrough year in 2024, recording his first 1,000-yard receiving season (1,001 yards, to be exact), which included seven touchdowns.
The Lions are committed to continue to develop the young receiver’s largely unrealized potential in the hopes of improving and replicating his performance from the previous season, as evidenced by the fact that they flexed his fifth-year option with Aidan Hutchinson.
Williams has had a strong spring, according to Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who is impressed by his versatility, which will help the offense get more opportunities.
He still has a lot of growth remaining, my god. At an OTA (Organized Team Activities) press conference on May 30, Campbell stated, “There are a lot of things that we can do just with his routes on the outside.” We can still accomplish things inside, but he’s more faster and stronger now, you know? His capacity to halt and plant his foot. Man, you’re starting to (see) where you can stop at any time when you can run as fast as he can. You discuss a hard cover.
For him, the possibilities are endless. At this moment, he is precisely where we want him to be. He has visited this place.
At this moment, he is precisely where we want him to be. He has visited this place. He’s working hard. He is improving. He’s getting really annoyed with Scottie (Montgomery). It’s fantastic. We anticipate a fantastic season for him. Man, we really do. This year, he will be one of the people we rely on the most and will be important to us. All he needs to do is continue working as usual, and everything will turn out OK.
Listen to Campbell and Williams in the aforementioned videos.
After OTAs, Williams spoke to the media with grace and ease.
Williams stated that he has “the usual” expectations of himself, hoping to go out there and make the plays that come his way.
Williams claimed modestly that his only goal is to assist the squad in winning games.
Williams stated, “I’ve always had the same mindset to go out there and be the best, working hard, ever since I really (got) inspired to work hard as a kid, you know with my pops.” “Everyone outworked me,” my dad would text me. Regardless of who it is, outwork everyone. That’s simply my mindset, you know.
I suppose that as I enter my fourth year, I have a little more energy. I’m transitioning from the rookie to the veteran stage, and I’m simply eager to play more football and be more reliable for my club.
After the club missed out on a Super Bowl berth in 2023 and 2024, first against the San Francisco 49ers and then against the Washington Commanders, Williams stated that he is eager to get the ball and move on in the playoffs.
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“I’m really hungry.” Williams stated, “I think people don’t really understand how bad it is until you get to that game where you’re one game away from the Super Bowl.”
That was the one that stung me the most, you know. Since it was only one game away, I was more hurt by losing to the 49ers than I was by the Commanders. It’s just one play away, you know. We have a chip on our shoulder, I suppose.
“We (are) not obsessing on it, but everyone remembers it. We have important games this season, and we have a long season ahead of us. You know, I’ve kind of moved on from the past, but it’s still there for that one last spark we need to move forward.
Regarding his maturity, Williams stated that he is a little older and that, as a result, he recognizes the value of both football and life, serving as a mentor to new players while still developing himself.
“It really helped me,” Williams said, “just growing older and maturing myself, talking to more people, opening up to more people, and getting more advice from everybody.”
Williams responded negatively when asked if he felt like a different person.
“I haven’t changed,” Williams declared. “I simply approached many things in a different way.”
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