ALLEN PARK — Jameson Williams said he is not feeling pressure entering his third season with the Detroit Lions. Maybe so but many eyes are on the wide receiver who has shown bursts in his first two seasons but hasn’t been a consistent threat.
That may be changing. Coach Dan Campbell has seen it coming for weeks of offseason work starting in April and including OTAs which began this week.
“If you said, give me one player that is the most improved from start to finish in that time, Jamo would be the guy,’’ Campbell said prior to Thursday’s OTA workout. “He’s a man on a mission and I’m going to leave it at that.’’
Williams, better known as Jamo, was a first-round pick in 2022 even though he had undergone knee surgery and wasn’t a lock to be ready for the season opener. He played in six games with one catch (a 41-yard touchdown) on nine targets.
His camp was cut short with injury last August so he couldn’t get much work in preseason games which was bad because he was suspended for breaking NFL gambling rules for the first four games. He finished last season with 24 catches for 354 yards, a pair of receiving touchdowns and a rushing TD.
Today it’s all systems go — the speedy receiver is healthy and faces no suspensions.
He said his mindset is the same but admits he’s excited about continuing to work with Jared Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
“I feel like this is a huge year for the whole offense, coming off last year going to the NFC Championship and doing a lot. We’ve got a lot to prove and a long way to go,’’ Williams said.
He’s been concentrating on the details like lining up right, running the correct routes and says he has matured and learned in his first two seasons.
“It’s more of a different game. I would say coming out of college you could freestyle a little bit just line up anywhere,’’ Williams said. “In the League you’ve got to be in the perfect spot, make everything look the same type of thing. They would never know if you’re doing this or that if you always line up in the same spot, it’s just the little things.’’
He’s also learning by lining up against cornerback Carlton Davis III, a free agent in his first season with the Lions. Like Campbell, Davis sees good things in Williams.
“He has so many tools in his toolbox, he can beat you running fast, he can snap down, he’s a threat in a lot of different ways,’’ Davis said. “When you’re going up against a guy like that every day you have no choice but to get better.’’
The veteran corner said he is also making Williams better.
“I’m here to make him one of the best receivers in the League. That’s my goal,’’ Davis said.
Williams appreciates Davis too.
“It’s only been three days, going against him every single time has been good work. He’s really good on the press …’’ Williams said. “Even his feet, how he plays, his patience, the whole way he plays his game, it’s just good. I like going against him … It was good work both ways.’’
This should be the breakout year for Williams. The Lions have been patient with him along the way.
“I think I’ve matured a lot more. Coming into the League I still had some childish ways, I wanted to do what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it,’’ Williams said. “Sometime you’ve got to listen, get on the right track and follow the right path.’’
Notes: The Lions will hold joint practices with the Giants before the Preseason Week 1 game at the Giants on Aug. 8. Campbell loves working out with other teams: “You get something different — your O-line, D-line, receivers, DBs, the backs, tight ends, everything — you get a whole different (look). … It sparks the system, it gives you somebody new to see and you adjust and react. That’s where I think it’s good and it breaks up a little bit of the monotony in camp from going against each other.’’
Lions Lowdown 