As a first-rounder from the 2022 draft class, Jameson Williams is among the players which will soon be the subject of a fifth-year option decision. He is likely to have his option picked up, but questions loom about the wideout’s future in Detroit. 
The Lions traded up on Day 1 of the ’22 draft to acquire Williams. Expectations were high as a result for the Alabama product once he became available, but his ACL recovery led to a rookie campaign which was essentially a write-off. Gambling and PED suspensions limited Williams to only 12 games in 2023, but he showed plenty of potential as a deep threat. He took a major step forward this past campaign, posting a 58-1,001-7 statline.
Exercising Williams’ option would set him up to receive $15.49MM in 2026. That figure would prove to be reasonable if the 24-year-old duplicated his 2024 success, but the Lions already have a long list of lucrative commitments on offense. That includes fellow wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, whose deal averages just over $30MM per season. With that pact on the books and others (on defense) soon to follow, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reports some around the NFL believe Williams could be a trade candidate.
The Lions earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season, and another run at the Super Bowl is expected for the 2025 campaign. Williams would be positioned to reprise his role as a complementary option to St. Brown and tight end Sam LaPorta, operating as one of the league’s top deep threats. Last season, Williams averaged 17.3 yards per reception, and his catch percentage (63.7%) marked a notable improvement from the previous season.
It would therefore come as no surprise if another strong season were to be in store for 2025. The Lions already have St. Brown, along with quarterback Jared Goff, offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker as well as running back David Montgomery on lucrative contracts, however. LaPorta and running back Jahmyr Gibbs will be eligible for extensions next offseason. By the time those two have a second contract in hand, Aidan Hutchinson will likely be among the league’s highest-paid defenders, a factor which will no doubt influence roster-building moves in the short-term future.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes recently noted the cost of retaining receivers on long-term deals when speaking about the potential of extending Williams. A pact near the top of the market (which now sits at $40.25MM per year) would not be in store in the event a new Lions deal were to be worked out. Still, making another commitment on offense would prove to be cumbersome. As a result, Williams’ status will be worth watching as the draft and the May 1 deadline for fifth-year option decisions approach.
That’s crazy if true. Ravens have boatload of picks maybe send Jamo there for a fifth and a sixth
He’s a 24 year old first round pick who just put up a thousand yard season. A fifth and a sixth is way, way, way low. A mid season rental of an aged Amari Cooper cost way more than that.
I agree he is worth more than that. However, his total value has to be discounted some considering his history of gambling and PED suspensions.
Sure, plus his injury history. But with his fifth year option, a team will be getting his age 24 season and his age 25 season for a two year total of roughly $20.5 million. Those two years at that price are worth well more than a third round pick, and I’m not even a particularly big Williams fan.
With two full seasons of team control and a player that wants to stay in Detroit, there’s zero urgency for a trade which means Detroit would need premium draft capital in return.
No reason to trade him now. But all bets are off in the future even if Detroit picks up his 5th year.
Correct. Keep him for the run to the SB. The Steelers sent Seattle a second for DK. I’d think next off season the Lions could at least get a third for him.
All things considered top players went for way less. Case in point: AJ Brown
What are you talking about? AJ Brown was traded for a first round pick and more.
Dudes just be talking out there behind lol
@cr4–i got my history mixed up relax kid
@Ooof—yeah I just remembered pardon the brain fart lol
AJ Brown was traded for a first round pick.
Jamo would be sad to go from catching darts from Goff to playing in a college offense with a running back.
Still with the RB thing? Either you don’t watch football or…
I am not a Lamar fan by any means but this is perhaps the dumbest comment I have read on any of my social media channels today. Congratulations.
Yeah, why don’t they just trade him away for a kick in the nuts?
Even more crazy if they traded him for the same as an old, highly paid, broken down Debo.. lions would just take a comp 3rd rounder vs that crappy scenario.
That probably isn’t a high enough price – but if it was the Bills have 10 picks.
There will be competition if the Lions were trading him that dirt cheap. The trade would have to be better than that.
Are you insane? JAMO is worth at minimum a 3rd round pick & on a playoff team missing a deep threat might part with a 2nd.
Love Jamo, but everyone can’t get paid. His value is as high now as it’s going to be. Just sayin
I don’t know why Lions fans are so shocked by this. Same thing is gonna happen to LaPorta so be ready.
Dan Morgan needs to make this happen.
Hope they do as a fan of a division rival, he’s super talented and could be a number 1 if Sun God wasn’t there. Kind of interesting how Detroit and Minnesota have kind of the same situation at receiver, a top of the league wr1 and then a super talented number 2 with some off the field issues (Addison’s considerably worse even though he’ll get suspended less games).
No Addison problems are not worse. A gun charge and gambling? Come on now, lots of people resolve drinking issues. The other two are more character based.
The gun charge has already shown to be a whole lot of nothing.
Tell me you’ve never been affected by a drunk driver. Gambling in a league that promotes gambling and a gun incident with no charges does not equal 2 DD charges one where he was drunk going 140mph. Try again.
League also promotes drinking
True but please show me where anyone promotes drunk driving.
When you show me where the league allows players to gamble. People know not to drink and drive and athletes know that you can’t bet. It’s not that hard to see
Hes a very exciting player to watch, but has done dumb things with the PED and gambling violations. Wouldn’t be all that surprised if DET didn’t extend him.
They should just Franchise him if he puts up I the 5th yr and then let him walk. Idk how teams will sustain paying what WRs are now getting let alone QBs.
So on one hand you say you don’t know how teams can sustain paying WR and QB…but yet also say “just Franchise him”, which means handing him avg of Top 5 WR salaries. That makes no sense. If they pick up 5th yr option they have him this yr and next yr for about 10m per, then he’s unrestricted FA. “Franchise Tag” isn’t even in consideration at any point, unless he magically replaces ASB as WR1 and shows more growth in his maturity over next 20 months than he did the last 36 months
The Lions year was last year. They blew it. Gonna be fun to watch them slowly regress.
“Lions fan”
Oh helll naw. Go pack go baby.
Gross.
You’re right. 13 World Championships are gross.
How many have you actually been alive for? 2? Maybe?
2>0 my friend.
Jaguars
Most favorable 3rd and 4th rounders 2025
2026 2nd if he stays healthy out of trouble and posts a 1,000 yards or else 2026 3rd
Pass. They would get a second if they wait the offseason.
Or a 5th 6th when he gets suspended again
I doubt the Lions extend him but trading him this year when they’re trying to make a run at a Superbowl would just be beyond dumb.
Trade value is highest right now.
Doesn’t matter if the goal is to make it to the Superbowl for the first time in their history.
The Chargers would be a good destination for him. Maybe Denver or Buffalo.
Would love Denver but Payton doesn’t pay top WR’s.
I suppose someone probably will get paid like a top WR when the time comes, huh?
Nor does he know how to use them. How long did him take to realize Mims is a legitimate weapon?
You put him on Buffalo with Allen & it’s lights out. If I was Buffalo’s GM, I would call him & offer a 2nd this year & a 4th next year!
Seriously, a WR like that with a QB like Allen is a whole other level. Buffalo would immediately be one of the top offenses in the league in a way they haven’t been in a few years.
Bills need a defense first and foremost.
I see them trading Goff before they trade Williams.
You’re suggesting they will never trade Williams?
Never say never. I’m just saying I can see them unloading Goff and his contract to make room for a younger, more explosive playmaker like Jamo.
Ryan Poles, are you paying attention? He’s just what the doctor ordered!
No way.
NO! NO! NO!
Trading him makes sense from a future cap management perspective. The Lions have some work to do for 2026 to get under the cap to be able to sign draft picks. I see a Goff restructure on the horizon.
If they can get a 2nd RD this year with a quality WR still on the board it’s a win
To Carolina for a third this year and a third next year
You can find WR’s in the draft. However, teams in win now mode can’t afford to give up the one guy that can take the top off the D. They would need a 2nd round pick this years draft to find JAMO’s replacement. A 3rd or 4th won’t cut it.
I agree completely here. It’d be a very interesting, and surprising, development. Williams is good enough to be a big contributor to a championship contender, but also isn’t so essential as a second WR that he couldn’t be replaced by a great addition. That’s the kicker though, isn’t it-that addition has to be great. You’d not be replacing a franchise talent here, necessarily, but you’d really have to hit on his replacement to at least provide relatively equal production if you want the trade to look good. You’ll probably need to spend one of the picks to get that replacement, too, and with two years of control effectively left, it’s not an urgent issue. However, Williams’ value is at its highest value so far, and with his off field and injury history, there’s a chance that he might lose some value going forward in some scenario.
Detroit could pick up some good draft capitol here potentially, so it’s intriguing. Being in the middle of a contending window will really make it important though that the net result is positive, and not simply a trade for the sake of “being smart” with future possibilities. They have probably have another year left to decide on this, but will Williams have the same value then? Would his current return help the team more than another year of his production? Those are the questions that the Lions need to answer.
Pick up the 5th year Option, see how he performs on and off the field for this season. Make a decision at the end of the year. If he performs well, his value goes up!
Lions can’t afford to franchise him so the time to trade him is now
If the Lions trade him NOW, when with a 5th yr they would have him for two full seasons at an affordable rate, means that after putting up with several distractions and “immaturity” issues that something has happened behind the scenes that Campbell & Holmes feel could disrupt the locker room if he was brought back &/or perceived as condoning the behavior.
Lions franchise has been pretty zero tolerance of off the field stuff since Sheila took control & Spielman/Holmes/Campbell came aboard…except when it comes to Jamo. Gambling suspension, gun arrest (dropped charges, but PR nightmare nonetheless), social media posts of him w known gang members (flashing more guns), nearly pulling a NYG and blowing his fingers off w fireworks, theres just so much stuff that compounds. Every team has a limit.
But trading him now because of a hypothetical cost of extension 2 yrs from now? That would be way out of character for a GM who has shown to be shrewd and ruthless when needed to be, not before.