Jameson Williams caught one pass in his first season with the Lions: a 41-yard touchdown. He caught another for a 66-yard touchdown that was wiped out by a penalty on the offensive line. And he turned one rush into a 40-yard gain. When the Lions got the ball in his hands, Williams looked every bit like the big-play receiver they drafted 12th overall.
"A little bit of what you saw, I don’t think that’s really anywhere close to where this kid’s going to go," GM Brad Holmes said Tuesday. "I mean, he made some big plays and had some flashes, but the other thing about Jameson, he’s just a football player, man. ... That dude just wants to be out there on the field."
Williams didn't get on the field for the Lions until Week 13 after tearing his ACL in the national championship last season at Alabama. When he did, his speed made him hard to miss -- and maybe even harder to spot. Williams moves in a blur. He runs as if powered by a jetpack, faster and more fluid than the players around him. At top gear, his legs are on fast-forward and his feet almost float.
After his first NFL catch went for a touchdown against the Vikings, Williams said he wasn't surprised: he's eyeing the end zone on every play. He was smiling when he ripped down the Bears' sideline after taking a reverse in Week 17, the rush of outracing defenders. And when he turned the corner and left the Packers defense in the dust in the season finale, Williams looked like a cheat code. The NFC North is just getting to know him.
So is Jared Goff.
"He’s a special talent," Goff said Tuesday on 97.1 The Ticket. "I kind of laugh about it, the times we were able to get the ball in his hands, it’s pretty funny, he scored on two of them and had a nice reverse for about 45 yards. So how often can we get the ball in his hands will be a key for us. He’s a tremendous player and a guy that we all believe in. The sky’s the limit for him."
Williams didn't get many practice reps with Goff before his debut. This was part of the reason they were slightly out of sync as the Lions tried to work the rookie into the offense down the stretch. Goff has said that Williams is unlike any receiver he's ever thrown to, almost like a snake "in the way he kind of slithers down the field." That took some time for the quarterback to get used to. Their adjustment period should be over by next season, especially with the benefit of an offseason program and training camp.
"I'm excited to get in OTA’s with him, get some time on the field with him and really get to know each other more on the field," said Goff. "And excited to continue to play with him. He’s a hell of a player."
Williams is not just a deep threat, though he can certainly stretch a defense. He's dangerous wherever he gets the ball in stride. Goff threw just behind him on a slant against the Bears that Williams might have taken to the house had the pass arrived on time. Williams also could have done a better job adjusting to the throw, which ricocheted off his hands. These are the miscues they should eliminate next season. For Williams, the next several months will be key.
"He’s going to have to put the work in this offseason, he’s going to have to be dedicated in his approach," said Holmes. "We can provide all the resources and lay it all out, but he’s going to have to take the accountability and do it on his own. But I’ve got a lot of faith and confidence in Jameson. And obviously because we traded up and made the move for him, we all have the same belief."
This season was a test drive for Williams and the Lions. There was no rushing him out of the garage. He ran 37 routes and saw nine targets over six games, and revved his engine for the NFC North. Most importantly, he got his knee back to 100 percent. He'll enter next season as a focal point of Detroit's offense, ready to step on the pedal in the motor city.
"I don’t think anything he did this year is anywhere remotely close to where he’s going to go," said Holmes.