After a rocky start to his career, the Lions may be able to get a deal on Jameson Williams before he truly breaks out if they sign him this offseason.
One of the more polarizing draft picks in recent years for the Detroit Lions was taking wide receiver Jameson Williams in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft .
After selecting Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 2 pick that year, the Lions made a massive move up, trading pick Nos. 32, 34, and 66 for pick Nos. 12 and 46, ultimately selecting Williams at No. 12.
It was a gamble for Detroit, not only because of the fact that they moved up 20 spots, but also due to Williams recovering from a torn ACL that he sustained in his final year of college.
The recovery kept Williams out for much of his rookie season, as the wideout played in just six games. Then, in 2022, Williams was suspended for the first six games (eventually reduced to four) for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. He played in 12 games that year, catching 24 passes for 354 yards and two touchdowns.
2024 was Williams’ true breakout campaign, as the former first-rounder caught 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns, turning into an explosive play machine. He went for over 100 yards three times, while reaching the 75-yard mark another eight times, becoming the No. 2 option behind Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The Lions were clearly pleased with Williams’s breakout season, as they picked up his fifth-year option for 2026, guaranteeing the wideout a $15.493 million salary. Of course, with picking up the option comes extension talks, as Detroit has done a good job of keeping their homegrown stars over the past few years.
This offseason, the Lions have already extended safety Kerby Joseph and linebacker Derrick Barnes. Last year, it was Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker, DJ Reader, Graham Glasgow, and David Montgomery.
Now, it could be Williams’s turn, as the Lions may look to secure a long-term extension for the speedy wideout ahead of the season. Wide receiver prices are only going up, and Williams could secure himself a massive contract with another 1,000-yard season.
So, what could an extension look like?
Baseline numbers for a Jameson Williams contract extension
There have been a couple of massive extensions at the wide receiver position this offseason, but those aren’t the only deals to keep an eye on.
Quality wideouts such as Khalil Shakir, Rashod Bateman, and Darius Slayton each earned multi-year extensions worth at least $12 million annually.
Shakir earned the biggest deal, landing a four-year, $53 million deal from the Buffalo Bills . Bateman recently got a three-year, $36.75 million extension, while Slayton got a three-year, $36 million deal much earlier in the offseason.
Honestly, those three contracts seem like the floor for Williams after his 2024 campaign. He’s more than a year younger than both Shakir and Bateman and four years younger than Slayton. Additionally, neither of those three receivers has yet to put up a 1,000-yard season like Williams has.
A better comparison might be Jerry Jeudy, who earned a three-year, $52.5 million deal with $41 million guaranteed after being traded to the Cleveland Browns last offseason. Jeudy was a year older, entering his age-25 season, but had more consistency with three seasons over 750 yards in his first four years.
Still, it feels like Williams should do even better than that, given the rising market for wide receivers and his breakout 2024 campaign.
Projecting a new Jameson Williams deal
The Lions have inked several of their top young talents to extensions in recent years, and a new contract for Williams could be the next one in line.
Several of those extensions have been for four years, including ones for Jared Goff, Penei Sewell, Alim McNeill, Kerby Joseph, and even Jared Goff. But, given that Williams is coming off one strong season and still has two years of team control left on his rookie contract with the fifth-year option, it feels a three-year deal may be more reasonable.
That provides the Lions with a little more security, while allowing Williams to cash in and also bet on himself, potentially hitting free agency after his age-28 season.
When looking at the average annual value, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Lions’ wideout push the $20 million-per-year range. Yes, that would be a bit of a chance considering his resume. But, Williams does have two years and $18.13 million remaining on his rookie deal.
When projecting a three-year deal worth around $20 million, Williams would have a total compensation of five years and $78 million, which is just over $15 million a year and on par with some of the comparisons we listed above.
I see Williams coming in slightly above that $20 million range, with the guarantees evening out to give Detroit some flexibility.
Projection: 3 years, $63 million, $33 million guaranteed