Getty Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said more targets are going to go to second-year receiver Jameson Williams moving forward.
Second-year wide receiver Jameson Williams has begun to make more plays for the Detroit Lions.
In Week 11 against the Chicago Bears, Williams scored a key fourth-quarter touchdown in the 12-point comeback. Then versus the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, Williams secured a 38-yard reception.
But Williams has received at least 4 targets in a game just once this season. Each of the past two games, the 22-year-old had 3 targets.
On November 30, though, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said that could change soon.
“He continues to get out there, and the ball is going to just start gravitating to him just a little bit more than it already has,” Johnson told reporters on November 30. “But he’s going a really nice job, and he just needs to continue to put in the work like he’s doing right now.
“Good things will happen.”
Lions’ Ben Johnson Explains Why WR Jameson Williams’ Playing Time is Increasing
Getting more repetitions usually leads to more opportunities to make plays. Although he hasn’t received a lot of targets, that’s still been the case for Williams.
He played a career-high 65% of Detroit’s offensive snaps against the Bears. Then versus the Packers, he set a new career-high with 53 offensive snaps overall (63%).
Williams’ snaps have increased because of the improvement he’s shown not just as a pass catcher but complete receiver.
“The way he’s practicing, the way he’s preparing, and the way he’s playing, because of that, his reps are going up,” Johnson told reporters.
Johnson added that Williams is improving. Lions head coach Dan Campbell and wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El have stressed that point as well.
“He’s improving. I think I said this earlier: He feels like he’s one of the guys now, man. He’s part of the team,” Campbell told reporters on November 15. “He’s one of the guys. He’s putting in a good day’s work. He’s physical. He’s tough, and so the more that he earns his stripes here, the more opportunities he gets.”
Randle El said to the media on November that with Williams, “it’s coming” and that “it’s a matter of time.”
Since then, Williams is averaging 23.8 yards per reception.
Jameson Williams Wants to Score More Touchdowns
Williams told reporters on November 18 that he is not focused on the number of targets he receives. What he does want to do, though, is make more big plays, including touchdowns.
Williams scored a touchdown in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. But a penalty nullified the score.
The 22-year-old explained afterwards that the score not counting didn’t bother him because the Lions still won 41-38. He also explained he understands he will have more opportunities to score.
“I plan on getting a lot more touchdowns,” Williams told reporters. “So I really don’t be tripping off that.”
The Lions are ranked third in passing yards this season, but the team’s second-leading receiver, Josh Reynolds, only has 27 catches.
Amon-Ra St. Brown leads the Lions with 82 receptions and 993 receiving yards. Tight end Sam LaPorta and running back Jahmyr Gibbs are second and third, respectively, on the team in targets.
Williams has just 12 catches for 184 yards. But 2 of those receptions were touchdowns, and he’s second on the team in yards per reception.
If things go according to plan, Williams should begin to see more targets ahead of Reynolds.