Dan Campbell of the Lions Reveals His Plans for Wide Receiver Jameson Williams
On October 2, GettyDetroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell discussed the team’s strategy with reporters on the reintegration of wide receiver Jameson Williams into the system.
After finishing sixth in passing yards through the first four games of the 2023 NFL season, the Detroit Lions will now welcome back Jameson Williams, a former first-round wide receiver.
Due to a gambling infraction, the NFL suspended Williams for the first six games of the 2023 campaign. But on September 29, the league shortened Williams’ suspension to four games, allowing him to play against the Carolina Panthers in Week 5.
Although Williams’ comeback is expected to bring the Lions a significant boost, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell has low expectations for the second-year receiver.
Campbell told reporters, “We just gotta see where he’s at with football, and this will be his first week back, so we’ll take it every day.” Observe his actions.
“We’ll observe its progress. Like the rest of the team, it’s all about getting better. We just need to get a little bit better every week. He only needs to recover a little bit, and then we’ll proceed.
In his lone reception during his rookie campaign, which spanned six games, Williams’ gain was a 41-yard touchdown.
The Lions intend to reintegrate Jameson Williams into the offensive line
On October 2, Campbell emphasized that every member of the Lions offense “has a job to do,” with the skilled players stepping up when their “number” is called. The Lions do not require or anticipate Williams to step in and lead the offense.
In an ideal scenario, though, Williams will develop into a talented player the Lions can rely on to provide results on a regular basis.
But for the time being, Campbell is concentrated on Williams just putting in a lot of effort to get better.
“We’ll observe its progress. Like the rest of the squad, it’s all about improving,” Campbell remarked. We only need to improve a little bit each week. He only needs to recover a little bit, and then we’ll proceed.
Campbell went on to say that Williams cannot be expected to play the majority of the team’s snaps straight away by the offense.
“We also know that even if he plays, it won’t be for 60 plays. That is not shrewd. That’s not what we can do to him.
Williams never played more than eighteen offensive snaps in a single season.
This season, Amon-Ra St. Brown has led the Lions in offensive snaps (247). Through four weeks, that has accounted for 87.9% of the team’s offensive snaps.
The only other receiver in Detroit who has participated in at least 44% of the team’s snaps this season is Josh Reynolds.
Williams’s Expectations from Campbell
In 2021, Williams’ last year of college at Alabama, he recorded 79 receptions for 1,572 yards. With 15 touchdowns and an average of 19.9 yards per grab, he was a big-play machine.
Williams now has a high standard to meet with the Lions with those stats. However, Campbell wants the 22-year-old to pay more attention to the specifics of becoming an NFL wide receiver than he does to his numbers.
It’s dependability for me. That is all. Go (get) lined up, be dependable, and know where you’re meant to be, Campbell advised. “That’s it. We’re going to extract the (correct route) depth from you, and we can rely on you to be where you should be at the appropriate time.
“I’m not searching for explosions, touchdowns, or yards. Man, just be one of those dependable receivers in the room like the other guys. That’s it, and I think that was a successful year. because winning is our goal. One player is not the focus, and that will aid in our victory.
In Week 5, Williams and the Lions will have a challenging challenge. The Panthers are giving up the sixth-fewest passing yards per game this season, despite their 0-4 record.
Sports writer Dave Holcomb writes about the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers for Heavy.com. Holcomb, who is originally from Pittsburgh, has covered professional and collegiate sports for publications like Fansided, Rotowire, and Yardbarker.
