The Detroit Lions are about to face a Jameson Williams truth a lot sooner than they probably want. Williams is due for an extension and after an explosive season that helped him eclipse 1,000 receiving yards, he’s going to warrant a big payday. The problem is, with Aidan Hutchinson’s pending rookie extension as well, the Lions may opt to pass on Williams for the time being.
Which is fine, just means they may be looking to move him at some point between now and the trade deadline in the 2026 season. Brace yourself, Lions fans, there’s no more clarity on what this offense and team will look like beyond this season.
For a team that’s gone through massive changes over this offseason, there’s a lot more on the horizon. If the Lions decide they don’t want to pay Williams, trading him is the obvious choice. It doesn’t make it an easy one though.
Detroit Lions will have to face Jameson Williams reality sooner rather than later
With Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs as the primary weapons and Sam LaPorta as a third option, it’s not likely Williams will come back to Detroit after his rookie contract is up. Lions fans, you better brace for that reality because the defensive side of the ball needs help and this offense isn’t necessarily equipped to outscore all 17 opponents.
Williams has been a welcome asset to this team, but all good things must come to an end. And the reality is, the Lions aren’t going to do what the Cincinnati Bengals did and pay a No. 2 receiver like a No. 1 and have a bunch of reserves and practice squad players on defense.
The Lions are in win-now mode, and if Williams has another standout year in 2025, he could warrant a big return. If I’m the Lions, I’m looking at feeding him the ball as much as possible, driving his stock up and flipping him for some help on defense when the time is right. They don’t need draft capital, they need defensive weapons.
The Cleveland Browns should call the Lions immediately
This is purely speculative, but if I’m the Cleveland Browns, I’m seeing what it would take to land Williams in a trade. This offense needs a lot of help on offense, specifically with its receivers. They can’t afford to trot out Jerry Jeudy and a bunch of practice squad receivers and expect to win.
They need another target to go on this offense, especially when you talk about competing in the AFC and giving confidence to your rookie quarterback(s). By the time Williams is due for an extension, Deshaun Watson’s ridiculous waste of money should be off the books. That will give them the cap room to pay Williams and instantly upgrade this offense.
Again, I’m not saying this is rumors, I’m just saying if the Browns want to compete in a loaded division and conference, they need more than what they have. The Lions already turned to Cleveland once in times of desperation; maybe it’s their time to return the favor for little ol’ Cleveland.