Lions GM praises WR Jameson Williams on "growing up" after a rocky start

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams is headed into his third season in the NFL. He will start Week 1 with his team for the first time, and his coaches have noticed the big steps the WR has made since he was drafted in 2022.

Williams missed the start of the 2022 season as he was dealing with a lingering knee injury he suffered in college. He was suspended for last season's first four games. Lions general manager Brad Holmes told reporters the team is impressed with the progress and maturity that Williams has shown to get to where he is now.

“I’m sure you guys have talked to him already and he’s told you that he had to mature a lot, and you saw that," Homes said. "We do a lot of research and background on all of these players that we acquire, and we had a good sense of who Jamo was as a person, but we definitely felt comfortable that he was going to be a fit for us, and he’s shown the growth. When we drafted him, we said, ‘He’s going to need to grow up a little bit.’ And he did, so it’s been right on pace.”

The Detroit Lions are looking to build on their postseason success in 2023. The Lions were just two quarters away from a trip to Super Bowl LVIII.

Why was Lions WR Jameson Williams suspended in 2023?

In April 2023, the NFL announced a number of suspensions for players who violated the league's gambling policy. Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was suspended for six games when it was discovered that he placed a bet on a college football game while in a team hotel during a road trip.

Placing bets while in NFL team facilities and/or hotels is prohibited. Williams was one of four Lions players who were suspended. Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore were released, and Stanley Berryhill was also given a six-game suspension.

Jameson Williams' suspension was then reduced to four games, and he returned in Week 5. In 12 games last season, he had 357 receiving yards and two touchdowns.