The Lions invested heavily in Jameson Williams at the 2022 draft, which finally paid dividends last season. Could they turn around and trade him?
With the Lions needing to hand out several big-money extensions in the years ahead and with Williams potentially commanding north of $25 million per year on his next deal, the Lions might not think it's feasible to keep him.
They recently brought in Texas receiver and likely first-round pick Matthew Golden for a pre-draft visit, which has led to speculation that they could draft Williams' replacement this week. They're already paying Amon-Ra St. Brown $30 million per year through 2028.
Wide receiver is a "spot to consider" for Detroit with the 28th overall pick, per Albert Breer, "with a fifth-year option decision coming on Jameson Williams, and some in NFL circles believing he could be traded."
Lions GM Brad Holmes said this offseason the Lions plan to pick up Williams' option, which will keep him under contract through 2026. But Holmes was much less certain about a potential extension for the big-play receiver who cracked 1,000 yards last season for the first time in his career.
While the Lions have had extension talks with fellow 2022 draft picks Aidan Hutchinson and Kerby Joseph, Williams is "one that you just don’t know what’s going to happen from a financial standpoint, because a wide receiver, it’s expensive," Holmes said. "It’s very expensive."
In the unlikely event that the Lions do trade Williams at the draft, they would almost certainly have to spend a day 1 or day 2 pick on his replacement. They would enter the season with just one receiver under contract beyond 2025 in St. Brown.
Regardless, the Lions are very much open to drafting a receiver "just to add one, just to continue to add youth," Holmes said last week. "We’re happy with the guys we have -- very happy with the guys that we have -- but obviously it’d be great to get younger."