Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is entering a pivotal season.
The 23-year-old has yet to make much of an impact since being selected by the Lions with the 12th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft due to various reasons.
Injuries have limited Williams, as did a gambling suspension.
However, heading into his third year, Williams may be ready to make a big leap, and Lions head coach Dan Campbell is expecting big things from him.
“He’s a man on a mission, and I’m just gonna leave it at that,” Campbell added, via Colton Pouncey of The Athletic.
Campbell was then asked where Williams has improved, to which he replied “everywhere.”
Williams, who played his collegiate football at the University of Alabama, was a tantalizing prospect when he entered the league two years ago.
He has solid size at 6-foot-1 and also possesses blazing speed, meaning he could represent a lethal weapon for Jared Goff in 2024.
Williams logged just one catch for 41 yards during his rookie campaign, which happened to go for a touchdown. This past year, he flashed some of his potential, catching 24 passes for 354 yards and a couple of scores.
The St. Louis native came on particularly strong at the end of last season and even scored a pair of touchdowns in Detroit’s NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers. One of the touchdowns was of the rushing variety.
Obviously, Amon-Ra St. Brown is the Lions’ No. 1 receiver heading into next season, but with the departure of Josh Reynolds, Detroit is in need of a No. 2.
Could Williams be that guy?
The Lions are certainly hoping so, especially considering that they don’t exactly have a ton of depth behind St. Brown and Williams otherwise.
The fact that Detroit opted not to add a receiver through free agency or the draft must mean that the club has high hopes for Williams next season.
Of course, the question is whether or not Williams can live up to those expectations, as he has yet to show he can represent a consistent threat in the aerial attack.
The Lions ranked No. 3 in yardage and fifth in points per game in 2023, so they had one of the best offenses in football last season. Detroit’s passing offense ranked second.
We’ll see if Jameson Williams can help take the Lions’ passing game to another level come September.