The Detroit Lions have put together one of the most formidable offensive attacks in the NFL with the pieces that have been drafted or acquired by the franchise.
Identifying the right young talent is something that great teams do year in and year out, as that helps the front office spend money where it is needed to fill in the cracks rather than patching up larger holes on the roster with higher-priced veterans.
Having the right players on rookie contracts can extend a Super Bowl window, but it can also come at a significant cost down the road if organizations aren't quick to lock up their homegrown talent.
Unfortunately, this is the situation Brad Holmes and the front office find themselves in following Monday's news. The fact that the organization that is putting Detroit in this spot is also now the home of one of the team's recent coordinators only makes the news sting even more.
Aaron Glenn Puts Detroit in Tough Spot With Jets' Latest WR Extension
Monday afternoon, word spread that the New York Jets, the same organization now coached by former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, made NFL history by giving Garrett Wilson a four-year, $130 million extension that includes $90 million in guaranteed money.
ESPN sources: Jets and wide receiver Garrett Wilson reached agreement on a four-year, $130 million contract extension that includes $90 million guaranteed. It marks the first time in NFL history that a receiver has received an average over $31 million after playing only three… pic.twitter.com/eGynmv7JwN
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 14, 2025
Why should Detroit fans care about this? Jameson Williams is only under contract through the 2026 campaign after the Lions picked up his fifth-year option earlier this offseason. While Detroit's front office has maintained that retaining Williams is a priority, the cost of business just went up significantly from the figures that were being floated earlier this summer.
Any thought of the former Alabama Crimson Tide star agreeing to a three-year, $75 million extension, as had been floated earlier this summer, is officially out the window. Williams' agent can take one look at the comparison between his client and Wilson and make the argument that Detroit's star wideout is a younger, more explosive, and more dynamic player than the wideout the Jets just gave a boatload of money to.
The Lions chose a dangerous path by playing the waiting game with Williams, and now it is going to cost them where it hurts the most, the team's checkbook. In a roundabout way, they can thank Glenn for that.