In a 7-on-7 period during Friday's open Lions OTA practice at the Meijer Performance Center, quarterback Jared Goff took a deep shot to wide receiver Jameson Williams down the left sideline that was a little bit late, under-thrown and incomplete.
As Williams jogged back to the huddle, new offensive coordinator John Morton had a coaching point for him. Williams stood next to Morton as Morton put his arm around him and made his point. Williams nodded his head and ran back to the receivers assembled behind the huddle.
Lions coaches have raved about Williams all offseason both for his play on the field but also his attention to detail in the meeting room. Every time Williams' name has been brought up, the person talking about him, whether it's head coach Dan Campbell, Morton, wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery or Williams' teammates, a big smile has come across their face as they see the work Williams is putting in and expect a huge season from the fourth-year receiver.
View photos from Day 3 of Detroit Lions OTA practice on Friday, May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich.
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) and Detroit Lions safety Dan Jackson (28) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) and Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Ronnie Bell (10) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Myles Adams (66) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tim Patrick (12) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Al-Quadin Muhammad (96) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator John Morton during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Giovanni Manu (59) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker (2) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (61) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein (61) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 30, 2025 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
"He's got a ton of growth left, you know? And, you know, he's listening, he's had a good spring," Campbell said of Williams on Friday. "I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves in OTAs, but, I mean, there's so much versatility with him. There are so many things that we can do just with his routes on the outside. I mean, we can do things inside, but just with his speed and, he's, he's gotten so much stronger, you know.
"His ability to stop, put his foot in the ground. Man, when you can run like, you can run, and now you can stop on a dime. I mean, you talk about a hard cover. So, the sky's the limit for him. He's exactly where we want him to be right now at this point. We expect him to have a huge season. We really do, man."
Campbell even went as far as saying Williams will be a player this offense leans on in 2025. We're talking about the same offense that features Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. That's high praise.
Williams has also taken on a bigger leadership role, especially with the young receivers in the room, and it's something he's really embraced. It's a great show of maturity from him as he's now entered veteran status.
"I'm a ball player. I just expect myself to go out there and make the plays when my name is called," Williams said of his expectations heading into the 2025 season. "Nothing spectacular. Help the team win games and get back to where we were at.
"Going into Year 4 I got a little pep in my step. I'm becoming a vet and moving over from the rookie stage, and I'm just ready to play more football and be more consistent for my team."
He's embraced a bigger leadership role knowing what it's like to be a young receiver with a lot of questions. St. Brown and Kalif Raymond were important mentors for Williams, and he knows being that guy for the current youngsters in the room could be huge for both them and the team.
"I feel good about it. The young guys come to me about a lot of stuff, and I actually feel good because I know what they are asking me," he said. "When I was in their stage, I had guys who I could go to, and they helped me with things. We've got four or five rookies that are coming to me asking me like, 'What's going on? How does this look? How does that look?' And I got the right answers for them. It feels good being that guy and that role model for them."
Williams recorded his first 1,000-yard receiving season (1,001) last year with seven touchdowns. He established himself as one of the best big-play threats in the NFL, averaging the second-highest receiving average (17.3) in the league last year.
Williams had five 50-yard receptions last season, and said he added five pounds of muscle and strength this offseason to better handle press coverage and navigating linebackers over the middle of the field.
All indications out of Allen Park are Williams is headed for a monster 2025 season, which is great news for the Lions' offense.
