Jameson Williams was already under contract with the Lions through 2026 entering the season, but he will remain in place beyond that point. The ascending wideout has an extension agreement in place. 
Team and player worked out a deal on Saturday, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This pact is three years in length, and it is worth $83MM with $67MM guaranteed. Since Williams’ fifth-year option was picked up this spring, he is now on the books through 2029.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter clarifies $83MM represents the maximum value of this pact. The average annual value of the extension at first glance – $27.67MM – is likely an inflated figure as a result. Even if so, a strong guarantee along with long-term stability has been attained via this agreement. Williams is the latest member of the Lions’ offensive core to receive a major raise.
Last offseason, fellow receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown landed an extension averaging just over $30MM per season. Quarterback Jared Goff, along with offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, as well as running back David Montgomery, each signed new deals in 2024 as well. That led to questions about whether or not Williams would fit into the team’s long-term plans, especially with Jahmyr Gibbs and Sam LaPorta eligible for extensions next year.
An answer has now arrived just before Week 1. Williams, 24, will finish playing out his rookie deal in the Motor City but he will remain in place on his second contract. The Alabama product played just 18 games across his first two campaigns due to injury and multiple suspensions. When on the field, though, Williams showed his potential as a deep threat.
In 2024, a notable step forward was taken in terms of production. Williams played 16 combined regular and postseason games, and his availability yielded positive results. He recorded 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns while averaging 17.3 yards per catch. A full-time role and increased expectations will await Williams in 2025 but for several years after the coming season as well.
Rumors emerged about a potential trade being considered in this situation, but Lions general manager Brad Holmes said in April that was not the case. Williams’ future in Detroit was ensured to an extent when his option – like that of former No. 2 pick Aidan Hutchinson – was exercised. Talks on a Hutchinson extension have taken place, but during that process work has also successfully been done on a new Williams accord.
The Lions were largely quiet this offseason with respect to outside free agent additions, looking instead to retaining as many member of their core as possible. That resulted in safety Kerby Joseph landing a monster deal of his own, and Williams has now joined him in that regard. Continued development from both players would be key in allowing for Detroit to remain among the NFL’s top contenders.
St. Brown topped 1,100 yards for the third straight season in 2024, and he will be counted on to lead the way once again this year. LaPorta figures to reprise his role as a key figure in the passing game. Williams will offer a different skillset than those two, and based on this investment the Lions are confident he will be able to consistently offer them another high-end option on offense.
Now pay Hutch
Good on the player because he’s played 33 games in three seasons and very narrowly had one thousand yard season (1,001 to be exact). Good for the team because he’s only entering his age 24 season, the arrow seems to be pointing up, and it could easily turn out to be a real bargain relative to the market. Nice to have a 1-2 punch like theirs locked in.
Not to nitpick, but the 1k wr benchmark is outdated. With 17 games 1000 divided by 17 is roughly 58 yards a game. That’s good, but not exactly great by any stretch. To put that into perspective 20 wide recievers did it last year but only 6 years earlier only 6 managed that number.
21 players did it in 2018. You might just be looking at an outlying year. Williams also did it in only 15 games, so the season length thing doesn’t matter much.
Yep this is a good deal for the parties. Both of them
Well I didn’t think they would pay him. He has had silly suspensions and still seems pretty immature on the field which can create penalties.
Him getting suspended the 6 games for placing a bet while at work instead of at home was silly esp given how involved the NFL is with betting these days.
I mean Rashee Rice got 6 games for causing the car accidents fleeing the scene and Jordan Addison got 4 for a dui.
The league really needs to get their suspension criteria under control
Because betting has a potential to influence the product, and comprising its integrity and once the entertainment product lost its ability to be observed as a neutrally involved environment or purely staged event it loses its ability to be fair for the consumer. You’re sold a product that is not staged, two teams putting on uniforms, not costumes and playing a game to a “unique” conclusion, and if it is in anyway diverges into being planned with others knowledge, we’ll you’ve been lied too. No?
Along with players having loads of potential insider information and the personal ability to potentially influence an outcome or stage something honestly makes the punishment understandable. Along with the stipulations in the negotiated CBA the players signed too.
DUI and Rice’s stuff doesn’t directly impact the on field product for the league as a whole. For a subsection? Definitely. A game being fixed, has a direct impact on the entire operation. If one game is fixed, who’s to know how many others are, or could be?
This is all to say too; to even attempt to rig a full NFL game would take a tremendous amount of effort and be a waste of time and financial resources from the brass. A stupid player (like Porter in the NBA) betting on himself and influencing the product? More likely.
I will still let my homerism ride though and say, 6 games was a lot and it’s insane he got the same as Rice, when Rice could have killed someone and Jamo was in a hotel. However, these things are negotiated for a reason I guess.
Wow I have to say I didn’t see this coming but I guess they saw enough from him last year to want to keep their most explosive player (along with Gibbs) around for the long haul.
His game changing plays last year do speak for themselves. He’d have one catch for like 30 yards or way less and then out of nowhere break a 90 yard catch and run or something. Williams is maybe the most intriguing WR in all of football with that explosive ability.