The pass catchers of the Detroit Lions isn’t the scariest group on paper. Detroit lost veteran receiver Josh Reynolds to free agency this offseason. While Reynolds wasn’t the most productive player individually, he seemed to step up in key moments and when defenses paid too much attention to star play maker Amon-Ra St. Brown.
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If the Lions are going to return one of the top offensive units in 2024, they will need another receiver not named St. Brown to take their game to the next level.
It seems former first round pick Jameson Williams is on his way, and he’s continuing his strong play from the later stages of last season into the team’s offseason minicamp. That could spell trouble for the Los Angeles Rams when they travel to Detroit to face the Lions in the season opener on Sunday Night Football.
Has Williams disappointed relative to his draft status?
The Lions likely expected more from a first round receiver than 25 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns over their first two seasons. But Detroit knew that Williams was rehabbing a major knee injury when they selected him in 2022, and he missed eight games during his rookie season as he worked his way back to football. Last season Williams was initially suspended six games for violating the NFL’s rules surrounding gambling, though the league later reduced his absence to four games.
Missing 12 games is significant for a young player who needs the reps to adjust to the speed at the professional level. When he was on the field he was competing for opportunities against a prolific receiving corps in St. Brown, Reynolds, Sam LaPorta, Kalif Raymond, and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
Why Williams is poised to breakout in 2024:
After returning to the Lions in Week 5 of the regular season last year, it took Williams time to adjust and find a way to consistently produce for the team. He was targeted 17 times over this first five games and caught just eight passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. Over the last six games he hauled in 16 receptions out of 25 targets for 265 yards and a touchdown. He also added another 19-yard rushing score.
In three playoff games, Williams was targeted nine times for six catches, 79 yards and a touchdown. He also scored a 42-yard rushing touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game.
The late season surge suggests both that Williams is adjusting to the NFL and the Lions are finding ways to make the most of his talents. Is the best yet to come for the talented wide receiver?
How will the Rams prepare for Williams in Week 1?
Williams didn’t play much of a role in the Lions’ wildcard defeat of the Rams last season. He caught just two passes for 19 yards.
The Rams added several new faces to their secondary this offseason, including corners Darious Williams and Tre White. At safety the team signed veteran Kamren Curl from the Washington Commanders and then drafted Kamren Kinchens in the third round. Also returning are Quentin Lake, Russ Yeast, Cobie Durant, Derion Kendrick, and Tre Tomlinson.
LA has it’s work cut out for it to stop Jared Goff and a high-flying Lions offense in Week 1. In last year’s wildcard game, Goff was hyper-efficient and completed 81.5% of his passes for 277 yards and a touchdown. His completion percentage dropped to 70% the following week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and then 61% against the 49ers. If the Rams are going to slow down Goff and Williams, contesting catches and raising the difficulty for completions would be a good place to start.
Did the Rams do enough on defense this offseason to remain competitive with the Lions? Detroit’s biggest addition could be the third-year jump for Jameson Williams. It should make for an exciting rematch to kick off the 2024 season.
