Tag: jared goff

Detroit Lions Jared Goff excited about the possibilities including a bigger role for Jameson Williams

ALLEN PARK — While the Lions defense features more new personnel, quarterback Jared Goff sees a ton of potential on the offensive side of the ball.

“We know the sky is the limit and we’re excited,” Goff said on Friday, the third day of training camp.

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson remains in charge and has added a few wrinkles to the playbook for his ever-evolving offense. It finished the 2023 season ranked third in the NFL with 6,712 yards of offense.

“Back in the spring there was a ton of stuff, even (stuff) we did last year that we can tweak and get better at, but some new stuff certainly in the spring and into training camp. Stuff we’ll play around with and see if it works and probably use a lot of it,’’ Goff said.

The 29-year-old Goff, who signed a four-year, $212 million contract extension in the spring, said hopefully he’s smack-dab in the middle of his prime. 

“I feel good and confident in the guys around me and they feel confident in me, it’s a good place to be,’’ said Goff, who was married this summer.

Along with most everyone, he expects a bigger role this year for wide receiver Jameson Williams who is entering his third season. Williams has shown flashes early in camp but had an excused absence on Friday.

“He’s a guy who can score on one play and you’ve seen it quite a bit in his career. He continues to get better. It’s exciting and his consistency has raised a ton,’’ Goff said. “He knows what time it is for himself and our team and has come to work really well and has done a good job.’’

Detroit Lions Dan Campbell: We will live on hard work, not reputation

Winning the Super Bowl is the expectation as camp starts

ALLEN PARK —  On the Detroit Lions first day of training camp they were riding the line between Super Bowl expectations and not losing their gritty identity.

It’s uncharted waters for this bunch but coach Dan Campbell is not going to let the ship get off course.

Heck, he’s lived through what can happen. In 2000 as a tight end, his New York Giants went 12-4 and lost in the Super Bowl. The next season, with the exact same team, they fell to 7-9.

“That was a lesson learned for me. I will never forget that, ever,’’ Campbell said on Wednesday. “We are not going to lose our identity, that is the most important thing to me and I won’t sacrifice it for anyone or anything. I told the team that, they know that.’’

After going decades without a postseason win, the Lions lost in the NFC Championship game in January – they were one half away from making it to the Super Bowl

“We don’t live off reputation, we live off of work,’’ Campbell said. “That’s what’s gotten us where we’re at, it’s been a long hard road to get to where we’re at right now. There’s a price to be paid so we’ve got to pay it again. That’s the message that will always be the message.’’

The coach is resolute that this team will not lose its identity as a hard-working, physical and gritty group.

“At this point nobody cares what we did last year. It doesn’t matter. It has no bearing on the season moving forward. If anything, it’s going to make it harder for us,’’ left tackle Taylor Decker said. “We can’t take that for granted. It’s hard to have a great season then refocus and get back to doing things the right way.’’

He’s been through it too, winning a national championship at Ohio State in 2014 and then not living up to expectations in 2015.

Consistency is key, Decker said, for teams and individuals.

That 12-5 record from last season may be old news, but, without question, it provided confidence.

“Each year you get into that meeting room the first day, it’s like: What do you want to accomplish with the team? I can truthfully say this year it’s not even playoffs, it’s not No. 1 seed. It’s the Super Bowl and that’s for everybody in the room,’’ wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. 

“And it’s the first year I feel like truly as a team we all feel the same way. We all want to win the Super Bowl, we know we can win the Super Bowl, we’ve got the team, we’ve got the coaches, we have everything in this building we need to win a Super Bowl. That’s our goal, that’s our focus and everything we do from here on moving forward to get there.’’

Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams earns high praise from Dan Campbell

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.’’