Getty Tyrell Williams celebrates a catch.
The Detroit Lions have made the move to pounce on free agent wideout Tyrell Williams, and there could be a good reason they decided to do so.
Detroit’s wideout group is set to take a significant hit in terms of depth in the coming days, with Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola all but gone when free agency gets going in a few weeks time. The team is still plotting their next move with Kenny Golladay, but in the meantime, they scored a huge addition with wideout Tyrell Williams.
Williams will come to Detroit as one of the key fill-ins the Lions will have from a depth perspective, and the good news is that he is a perfect fit for the team in terms of what the Lions want to do on offense. If the team is going to miss Jones, Williams could take a significant portion of the sting out of that loss given the fact he compares favorably to Jones with the key stat of air yards per reception.
Tyrell Williams’ air yards per reception:
2018 (with the Chargers): 11.2
2019 (with the Raiders): 11.1
Marvin Jones, same stat:
2019: 10.9
2020: 10.4
If Jones was great through the air, Williams can at least be counted on to duplicate this production, which could be good news for the Lions. The team can keep Golladay if they wish and the two can co-exist with this statistic in mind. Detroit could also draft a wideout and fit in this situation as well.
Tyrell Williams Productive During His Career
In terms of production, Williams has bucked the odds for an undrafted free agent in the league, putting up 3,181 yards and 23 touchdowns. Injuries have intervened in his last two seasons, with a foot ailment in 2019 slowing his season and a torn labrum playing a role in 2020. That might have only helped the Lions get a bigger value on Williams, however. Adding him to the mix is also savvy because he has experience with an Anthony Lynn offense, so there will theoretically be less of an adjustment with picking up the playbook quickly.
Williams shouldn’t be expected to duplicate everything Jones does, but if he can find a way to provide even half the production the wideout did for the Lions, Detroit would certainly take that especially given the production they are losing.
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Marvin Jones Might Be Popular Within Free Agency
No matter who picks him up in free agency or where he looks to land, Jones will be a quality addition to a roster. Jones has not only made the football team his home, but the city as well, as him and his wife own a Nothing Bundt Cakes franchise in Metro Detroit. They’ve been quality citizens in the community, and replacing him off the field won’t be easy whatsoever given what he has meant to the locker room and the team.
On the field, Jones has been just as good for the Lions and as consistent. This season, he put up 978 yards and 9 touchdowns. In his Detroit career, Jones has 4,296 yards and 36 touchdowns, and that’s not even counting his work from when he played in Cincinnati. Those years, he’s been almost just as good and consistent.
If the Lions can get something similar from Williams, that could be a huge win for Detroit.
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