Spotrac: Lions May Recoup Part of Jameson Williams' Signing Bonus
The six-game NFL suspension of wide receiver Jameson Williams could have significant financial ramifications for the 2022 No. 12 overall pick.
According to Spotrac, Williams "missed 11 weeks of 2022 due to injury, and is now expected to miss 6 more of 2023 due to his involvement in this gambling violation. The 22 year old was set to earn a fully guaranteed $1.5M this season, with another 2 years, $5.3M plus a 5th year option in 2026 still remaining on his rookie deal. Williams will forfeit just under $500,000 for the 6 weeks missed in 2023. Furthermore, the salary guarantee on his remaining $6.87M will now void."
After a rookie campaign that was largely intended to acclimate the talented wideout to the NFL, Williams and three other members of the roster were suspended due to violating the league's gambling policy.
Two other members of the roster, Quintez Cephus and C.J. Moore, have been released already, while Williams will miss the early portion of a pivotal season.
The former Crimson Tide wideout agreed to a four-year, $17,461,790 contract with the Lions in 2022. His deal included a $9,879,484 signing bonus, $17,461,790 in guaranteed monies and an average annual salary of $4,365,448.
As a result of missing nearly a third of his sophomore campaign, the team could look to recoup a portion of his signing bonus.
Per Spotrac, "The Lions may also look to recoup $823,290 of his signing bonus (6 weeks of his 2023 proration) per this suspension."
While the team may not want to alienate a star player, it would certainly send a message that the organization is serious about preventing anyone else from engaging in similar actions at the team's Allen Park practice facility.
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