It's Not Easy: Jameson Williams Progressing Weekly

Slowly but surely, the Detroit Lions are starting to deploy wide receiver Jameson Williams on a more regular basis.

On Sunday against the Chargers, Williams, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, played in over 50 percent of Detroit's offensive snaps (52%) for the first time in his professional career.

He also caught 100 percent of his targets for the first time as an NFL player, coming down with two catches for 18 yards. He could've had a third reception – a would've-been 10-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter – but it was called back as result of an illegal low block called against Taylor Decker.

Williams’ performance on Sunday was a sign of his growth as a receiver, something that the second-year pro attributes to things finally beginning to slow down for him.

“Coming in, I tried to stay moving on the fast track, and everything didn't go well going that way, I would say," Williams told reporters Thursday. "But, as I understood and slowed things down and really tried to figure things out, that helped me a lot.”

Williams hasn't exactly lit up the stat sheet in his first 11 NFL games. He's accumulated just nine total receptions for 130 yards, including eight receptions for 89 yards in five games this season.

Yet, all throughout, he's remained selfless in his play, as displayed by his block on David Montgomery's 75-yard touchdown run Sunday.

Lions receivers coach Antwaan Randle El believes it's only a matter of time until Williams has a breakout game.

“I think it’s just coming," Randle El told reporters earlier this week. "It’s just a matter of time, because he’s getting better. He’s excited about not just catching the ball. He’s excited about being where he’s supposed to be, when he’s supposed to be there, about getting blocks for his teammates, and stuff like that."

Jameson Williams 'Never Been Shy' Hitting Defender

Williams has averaged a little under 2.5 targets a game (2.4) through the early part of his NFL career. It wasn't what fans expected – or likely what Williams did – when Detroit used a first-round pick on the Alabama product a year ago. However, despite the low usage, the second-year receiver has remained focused on helping the Lions win football games, in any way he can.

“I really don't focus on targets. That's not my thing anymore,” Williams expressed. “I really don't know what to say on the targets, because I don't focus on that. I'm focused on winning.”

Because of injury and his four-game suspension to open up the 2023 campaign, Williams, as noted above, has yet to play in a full season's worth of games. To fellow Detroit wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, it's made Williams a “damn-near rookie” who will only benefit from getting more game reps moving forward.

“It's almost like he's still a rookie, he's still getting the feel of the game, everything, the speed of the game, play-calling, whatever it is, the role that he has,” St. Brown said of Williams Thursday. “I think the more he's, I don't know if you guys can tell, but the more he's playing, the better he's getting. So, we want him to play the best ball at the end of the year, and I think he's on pace for that. So, we're excited to have him.

“I can't wait to see, I know I keep saying this, but you guys see what he does when he's out there, the blocks that he makes downfield, the touchdown he got called back, things like that and then the long balls, they're bound to come. So, you just got to keep putting the work in, which he's doing. And, I mean, sky's the limit for him.”