For years, the Detroit Lions have waited for star WR Jameson Williams to take his game to the next level. His production has gotten better with every season, and while there were some doubts about his character, keeping him on a three-year, $80 million contract extension might be a bargain.
Nevertheless, he's not satisfied after getting paid. If anything, the Alabama product knows he's just getting started. There's a whole other layer to his game, and it's up to him to work on the things holding him back.
With that in mind, Williams has vowed to work on his hands, per Tim Twentyman of Lions.com. He's struggled with drops since his days in college, and he knows that might be the only thing standing in his way of perennial All-Pro-caliber production.
Jameson Williams vows to work on his drops
"Catching," Williams said. "That was my main thing. I want to get better at catching."
Williams' rookie season was essentially a rookie campaign. Even so, he failed to make the most of his limited chances, dropping a couple of passes. He's dropped 5, 2, and a career-worst 9 since then, posting a drop percentage of 12.2 percent, per Pro Football Focus.
He already proved he can improve his performance in 2024. That year, he hauled in 58 of 91 targets for 1,001 yards and 7 touchdowns for a successful catch rate of 63.7 percent. Nevertheless, his targets also led to four interceptions, some of which were on him.
Williams has improved his production in every season. He's the ultimate big-play specialist, and his speed, shiftiness, and acceleration make him impossible to take down in the open field once he gets off to the races.
Notably, that type of playmaker often struggles with ball security because they try to run before even securing the catch. That can't be coached out of his game and is more mental than physical or a matter of technique.
The Lions have another promising pass-catcher ready to blossom in Isaac TeSlaa, and Williams must be at his best to avoid taking a back seat to their new toy. He should be second in the pecking order behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, but with this team looking to bounce back after a disappointing season, there won't be much of a margin for error.
Dan Campbell's team has everything they need to be the most explosive offense in football, including a new offensive coordinator in Drew Petzing. If Williams works on his game's only flaw, it'll be hard to put their money against them on any given Sunday.
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