Getty Jameson Williams excited by a big play against Chicago in 2023.
The Detroit Lions had to wait until December to unleash rookie wideout Jameson Williams on the NFL, and when they did, he quickly showed off the goods.
Still, Williams didn’t make the biggest week-to-week impact on the team as the season pushed on, which was a cause of concern for many fans and media alike. The organization, though, clearly wasn’t down on what Williams was able to accomplish at all.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, January 10 in his season wrap-up, general manager Brad Holmes was asked about Williams. As he said, the rookie had to deal with plenty including rehabbing an injury which he had never experienced before.
“This is his first time going through an injury and a rehab process like he had to go through. To his credit, he went through it I think okay. Just getting through that for the first time and then when he completed that at where we were at in the season, that was the first hurdle. That was the first step,” Holmes told the media.
While Williams was back in the building, the Lions weren’t able to get him actual reps with quarterback Jared Goff that counted until much later. That combined to put the youngster in a situation where he was playing catch up.
“He was in meetings and he was at practice every day, but it’s different not getting those live reps. All those other receivers like DJ (Chark) and Josh (Reynolds), Amon-Ra (St. Brown) and Kalif (Raymond), those guys have been working with Jared way back in the offseason so they’ve had all that chemistry in all his reps and getting on the same page,” Holmes explained. “Jameson kind of had to start that after he got healthy and clear to get back on the field.”
As a result of this, and another offseason of getting adjusted, Holmes seems to think the surface has just been scratched for Williams, and he is going to make waves in the future.
“I think a little bit of what you saw, I don’t think that’s really anywhere close to where this kid’s gonna go,” Holmes said.
There’s a good reason for why that is the case in the mind of the boss, as well.
Holmes Assesses Williams’ 2022 Season, Future
In terms of where Williams is heading, Holmes admits that the rookie is a hard worker that simply wants to be on the field playing the game and playing it hard. With that kind of mindset, the sky could be the limit for Williams.
“He made some big plays and he had some flashes but the other thing about Jameson, he’s just a football player. Whatever the role is,” he said. “I know a lot was made about that first game and was he going to be on punt team and all that stuff. That dude just wants to be out there on the football field. That’s just how he’s wired. That’s how he is. I don’t think anything he did this year was anywhere remotely close to where he’s going to go.”
Specifically, there are a few things to sort out with regards to the role Williams will have, but a lot of that will be determined by how he is able to work with his teammates as well as grind through the offseason.
“We’ll determine what that role is and a lot of it is on him too. He’s going to have to put the work in the offseason. He’s going to have to be dedicated in his approach and we can provide all the resources and lay it all out, but he’s going to have to to take the accountability and do it on his own,” Holmes said. “Got a lot of faith and confidence in Jameson. Obviously because we traded up for him and made the move for him, we all had the same beliefs. I think he’s going to be just fine.”
That would be music to the ears of Lions fans, who have wanted a dynamic talent at wideout for years. It seems Holmes thinks the Lions have that guy and more for the future in Williams.
Williams Enjoyed Big Finish to 2022 Season
As Holmes pointed out, there may have been a good reason for things not being as big statistically speaking for Williams. He was trying to work on chemistry with Goff essentially on the fly during crunch time of a season.
Williams put up a total of 81 yards from scrimmage on the season with one touchdown. He had an electric debut against Minnesota in which he scored on a 41 yard pass on first down in the first quarter that showed his p
Here’s a look at the play, which was a beautiful route and the type of score that Williams turned in plenty of times in his college career:
FIRST NFL CATCH IS A TOUCHDOWN FOR @bigsgjamo!
#MINvsDET | 📺 FOX
Williams managed to find a seam down the middle of the field and managed to outrun everybody on the play, showing what he was capable of. Later in the season against Chicago, Williams was unleashed on a 40 yard reverse run.
Though he didn’t score on the play thanks to a flag, Williams showed the goods in Week 18 against Green Bay as well. He caught a deep pass on third-and-one and nearly took it for an electrifying touchdown to break open a 9-3 game early in the second quarter.
The play didn’t count, but holy Jameson Williams’ speed is special. #Lions t.co/ezRwSNPsJL
The highlights show a player who could be primed for a major sophomore season. It’s clear the Lions feel that way about Williams as well, especially with even more NFL seasoning.
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Brad Holmes Explains Why Jameson Williams Didn’t Make Fast Impact for Lions