Jameson Williams' $15.5M Contract Option Reportedly Exercised by Lions

The Detroit Lions triggered their team option for wide receiver Jameson Williams, keeping him under contract though the 2026 season, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

Over the Cap projects he'll earn $15.5 million guaranteed, having failed to hit the necessary benchmarks tied to playing time or Pro Bowl appearances that could've boosted his salary.

Williams potentially went a long way toward securing his long-term future in Detroit this past year. He set career highs across the board, catching 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns. His 17.3 yards per reception were the sixth-highest in the league.

Whether it was burning a secondary with his straight-line speed or turning medium throws into massive gains, this was the first time the 24-year-old truly showcased the big-play ability that led him to being a first-round pick.

Beyond the raw physical tools, now-former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called Williams "very detailed" and praised his ability to understand his duties on a given play.

Williams had an underwhelming start to his NFL career for reasons that weren't entirely his fault.

The torn ACL he suffered in his final game at Alabama meant he wouldn't be available at the start of 2022. He didn't make his debut until Week 13 of the campaign. His rookie season was pretty much a wash.

Williams then got 2023 off on the wrong foot when he received a six-game suspension, subsequently reduced to four games, for violating the NFL's gambling policy. In 12 appearances after becoming eligible to play, his production (24 receptions, 354 yards and two touchdowns) left something to be desired.

During the 2024 offseason, though, head coach Dan Campbell noticed something different with the dynamic wideout.

"We're two practices in (to Phase III) and if you said, 'Give me one player who is the most improved from that start to finish over that time?' Jamo is that guy right now," he told reporters in May. "He is a man on a mission and I'm just going to leave it at that."

Hope always springs eternal around the NFL during summer. Plenty of players look poised for breakouts that never materialize.

In the case of Williams, though, Campbell's assessment proved prophetic, and that made it a pretty easy call for Detroit to pick up his fifth-year option. The cost control it provides is a nice luxury amid the booming receiver market, and Spotrac pegs his valuation at $19.7 million, so it's not an overpay.

Extending Williams beyond 2026 will be a trickier proposal since Detroit already gave Amon-Ra St. Brown a four-year, $120 million extension. That's a problem for a different day with the Lions focused on maximizing their championship window.