The 2024 season can qualify as a breakout year for Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams in the eyes of many. He surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time, and set numerous career-high totals.
However, on the heels of his success in his third campaign, the new faces he'll be seeing on a daily basis believe there's even more in the tank. Newly hired offensive coordinator John Morton expects plenty from the talented wideout, and has already seen enough to declare that another big year is on the way.
Even though the team has yet to begin organized team activities and hasn't put on pads yet, Morton has been blown away with how well Williams has adapted to his style and the plan put in front of him.
“Unbelieveable. Just unbelieveable. When I first got here, he came in to see me," Morton said. "We had a chat, and this is how I’m painting the picture. This is what you need to do, this is how I see it. He has been unbelievable. Unbelieveable in the meetings, attention to detail. I’m excited to see him this year. It’s gonna be a breakout year for him, so I can’t wait. I just can’t wait.”
Morton has also been quickly impressed by Williams' speed, which is a defining trait of his game.
"He can go from zero to 60 fast, it's amazing," Morton said. "I haven't been around a guy like him."
Williams will also have a new position coach in Scottie Montgomery, who has made the change from coaching running backs with the team's hiring of Tashard Choice. Montgomery is not a new face, but is new to the position room for Detroit and will be working with Williams even closer.
Like Morton, Montgomery has high expectations for Williams. There has been a clear impression made by the young receiver, as he has stood out for his activity and participation in meetings. Williams was already back at the facility when Montgomery returned from a break, and the two connected instantly on their goals for his performance in 2025.
“It’s already changed. He was here when I got back here, so that’s a big deal to me," Montgomery explained. "When I came back from the couple-week break we had, Jamo was already here. In the offseason, I didn’t have to call him once I got the job. He knew exactly what it was. He just came up just to say hello to me, because he knew what we needed to get done."
In a recent team meeting, Williams was an active participant and asked quality questions. It's not the final step in his development, but there are clear strides being made even after a standout season in 2024.
"It was one of the better meetings I’ve seen him in, in the setting. It was a total offensive meeting. You talk about the communication level and the questions and the football IQ and the acumen that he was asking questions about, it’s what you really want to see," Montgomery said. "That’s what we’ve got to do. Are we where we want to be? No, we’re not there. And I’m not saying he’s showing us something that he’s not there, but we’re gonna take baby steps. If he keeps developing the way he is right now, he’s gonna get to a location that he really, really likes. Really, really satisfied with where he is right now, but we’ve got a long way to go.”
For Montgomery, the next step in Williams' development will be consistency. He had his share of big games last season, such as a 121-yard showing in last year's season-opener and his 143-yard performance in Chicago.
Now, his development is centered around finding the sweet-spot with consistency over the course of the 17-game NFL season.
“We’ve seen his best. We’ve constantly seen him grow and seen his best, like games where he has been his best. And then, we’ve seen some situations to where it was good, but it wasn’t his best," Montgomery explained. "That’s where we’ve grown to now. Now, it’s just the consistency of seeing his best. Is there a yardage connected to that for me? No. Is there an attitude connected to that for me? Yes. And that’s what we have to look forward to with him.”
