Jameson Williams

WR Notes: Toney, Rams, Lions, Cards, Cooks

September 30th, 2022 at 4:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants will enter their Week 4 game with Richie James, David Sills and Kenny Golladay as their top available wide receivers. Wan’Dale Robinson will miss a third straight game, while Kadarius Toney will be out for a second. The Toney-Giants relationship is steadily deteriorating. This regime is “clearly” not high on the Dave Gettleman-era first-round pick, Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports writes. Repeated injury problems have slowed Toney with the Giants, who saw the Eagles trade in front of them to nab DeVonta Smith last year. Reports connected the Giants to the Heisman winner ahead of last year’s draft. Toney will have missed nine career games by Sunday, due to various lower-body ailments, and the current Giants regime’s Golladay handling shows it is not afraid to bury bad investments. It would seem Darius Slayton — another player who has not impressed the current staff, leading to trade buzz — will see more run in Week 4, but Vacchiano adds the Giants will likely be looking for at least two new wideouts in 2023. Toney joined Slayton in being linked in trade rumors, albeit briefly, this offseason. Robinson, a second-round rookie, appears the only lock to be back.

Here is the latest from the receiver scene around the league:

Allen Robinson flashed often during Rams training camp, and determining this signing will fail after three games is ill-advised. But early indications are Robinson’s 2021 Bears performance was not an outlier. The veteran dropped a touchdown pass against the Cardinals and has just seven catches for 88 yards with Los Angeles. The Rams came in with a monster offer — three years, $46.5MM; $30MM fully guaranteed — to sign the former Jaguars and Bears wideout, using their cap space on the ninth-year player after Von Miller chose the Bills. Other teams were interested in Robinson, albeit at lower price points, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes teams did not like what Robinson put on tape. That is not exactly surprising, considering how badly Robinson’s final Bears season (38 receptions, 410 yards, one touchdown) went. But the early returns on Robinson’s Rams deal are not promising. Rams-Odell Beckham Jr. connections will likely continue.
The Lions are being patient with Jameson Williams, who is recovering from an ACL tear sustained during the national championship game. Williams is on Detroit’s reserve/NFI list, and while the first-round wideout could return in Week 5, he will not. The Alabama product is likelier to be back in early November, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press posits. Williams recently posted a video of him running and cutting. A second-half return has always been rumored for Williams, whom the Lions traded up 20 spots to draft. But no setbacks having occurred here obviously represents a good sign for the rebuilding franchise.
The Cardinals‘ receiving corps will not be at full strength until at least Week 7, when DeAndre Hopkins is eligible to return from his PED suspension. But the team may have one of its previously unavailable weapons in uniform Sunday. Rondale Moore is tracking toward returning from his hamstring injury, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets. The 2021 second-rounder, who caught 54 passes for 435 yards as a rookie, has missed Arizona’s first three games. He managed three limited practices this week. Marquise Brown, who suffered a foot injury in Week 3, is also likely to play. A.J. Green will miss Week 4 with a knee injury.
After Brandin Cooks played one game on the base salary he locked in by signing a two-year, $39.76MM extension in April, the Texans converted $831K of that base into a signing bonus. The Texans saved $554K with the move, Wilson notes. Cooks’ salary is down to $1.17MM; it spikes to $18MM next year. Cooks, who is now on his third contract, is signed through 2024.

Lions Hoping For Midseason Jameson Williams Return

August 23rd, 2022 at 11:10am CST by Sam Robinson

The Lions made the expected move of shifting Jameson Williams to their reserve/non-football injury list Tuesday. The first-round pick tore an ACL in the national championship game and was never expected to start the season on time.

Detroit is, however, hoping for a midseason Williams debut, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Williams, this year’s No. 12 overall pick, must miss at least four games because of Tuesday’s transaction.

GM Brad Holmes greenlit a 20-spot trade-up in the first round for Williams, who dominated in his one season at Alabama. After sitting behind Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Co. at Ohio State, Williams transferred and became the Crimson Tide’s top pass catcher in 2021. The import speedster caught 79 passes for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, teaming with John Metchie to help Bryce Young win the Heisman Trophy. Both receivers went down, however, before season’s end. Metchie, chosen 44th overall by the Texans, will not play in 2022, announcing a leukemia diagnosis.

Amon-Ra St. Brown and D.J. Chark reside as Jared Goff‘s top wideouts to start the season, but if Williams’ rehab goes according to plan, the Lions should be able to see a handful of games from their highest-drafted receiver since Calvin Johnson (2007).

The Lions also placed edge defenders Romeo Okwara and Josh Paschal and fullback Jason Cabinda on the reserve/PUP list, sidelining the trio for the season’s first four games. Okwara suffered a torn Achilles in Week 4 of last season. During spring workouts, Paschal aggravated a core injury initially sustained while at Kentucky and underwent offseason surgery. The Lions will be careful with their second-round pick, leaving Aidan Hutchinson as the only first- or second-round Detroit draftee set for September action.

Lions Place Three Players On PUP, Two On NFI List

July 24th, 2022 at 3:46pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions are the latest team to announce the list of players who will be sidelined for the start of training camp this week. An announcement on their website confirms three additions to the active/PUP list, and a pair of players who are now on the non-football injury list.

Included among the former group is edge rusher Romeo Okwara. The 27-year-old was limited to just four games played in 2021, as he suffered a torn Achilles in October. That marked a disappointing start to the three-year extension he signed the previous offseason, and left his training camp availability very much in doubt. When he returns, he will look to return to his 2020 form, in which he totalled a career-high 10 sacks.

Another key defender on the shelf is cornerback Jerry Jacobs. In his rookie season last year, the Arkansas alum started nine of 13 games as Jeff Okudah‘s campaign was limited to a single contest. Jacobs registered a 61% snap share before himself suffering a torn ACL in December. He should be in line for a significant role once again this season.

Second-round rookie Josh Paschal is the final inclusion on the PUP list. He was sidelined during spring workouts, though it is unclear if today’s move is the result of complications recovering from that injury, or of a new one. Head coach Dan Campbell said, “We’re trying to be smart with him,” adding that Paschal has “got a lower extremity injury.” The Kentucky product will feature in the team’s new-look defensive front when he is back on the field, which should be the case soon.

The situation is different, of course, for rookie wideout Jameson Williams. The No. 12 overall pick suffered an ACL tear in the national title game (which is why he is being placed on the NFI list, rather than PUP). General manager Brad Holmes recently spoke about his and the team’s optimism that a full recovery will be made. That likely won’t happen in time for the start of the regular season, but when he does make his debut, the Alabama product will add a dynamic speed element to Detroit’s passing attack.

The other NFI inclusion is linebacker Natrez Patrick, who signed as a free agent after spending the past two seasons with the Rams. He, like any of the other four players, can be activated at any time before the regular season kicks off.

Latest On Lions’ Jameson Williams Process

July 20th, 2022 at 11:07am CST by Sam Robinson

The clubhouse leaders for first-round wide receiver picks during the 2000s, the Lions passed on such investments from 2008-2021. But second-year GM Brad Holmes gave his team a potential impact wideout talent this year, trading up for Jameson Williams at No. 12 overall.

This move cost the Lions the Nos. 32 and 34 overall picks, along with a third-rounder, though the team added the Vikings’ No. 46 overall selection. Holmes addressed why Williams both convinced him to trade up 20 spots and to deviate from a general policy of not taking injury risks in the first round. After an April film session, the former Rams college scouting director separated Williams from the other receivers in this draft.

“I had Jameson in his own box,” Holmes said, via NBC Sports’ Peter King. “You want to be as sure as possible with first-round players, of course, and I was absolutely convicted on Jameson … the speed, how fluid he was, how confident he played. I consulted with our medial team, and they felt it was a clean ACL tear.

“So now I had to get comfortable with picking an injured player. I thought, I can’t preach to our organization to be open-minded with their decisions if I’m not going to be open-minded myself.”

Williams was the fourth receiver taken this year, going behind Drake London and ex-Ohio State teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave. After hauling in 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, the Alabama transfer suffered an ACL tear in the national championship game. Were it not for that injury, the slender speedster would have been in the conversation to be the first wideout chosen. Williams, 21, had made it back to that tier anyway, going four spots after London.

The injury likely to keep Williams out for a chunk of his rookie Lions season; he is expected to begin training camp on Detroit’s active/PUP list. Beginning the season on the reserve/PUP list would result in Williams missing at least four games. Given the long-term investment the Lions made, Williams starting the regular season on the PUP list appears likely.

Holmes did not hesitate in trading with a division rival, per King, saying the deal made “a ton of sense for both teams.” Minnesota chose Georgia safety Lewis Cine at No. 32 and traded the No. 34 choice to another division rival, Green Bay, to collect additional second-round capital. The Vikings ended up with Clemson cornerback Andrew Booth, after a Colts trade-up, and LSU guard Ed Ingram.

The Lions, who famously took top-10 wideouts in three straight drafts (Charles Rodgers, Roy Williams, Mike Williams) before hitting big on Calvin Johnson two years later, have made their move for a receiver centerpiece. Jameson Williams should help Jared Goff, who will also have free agent DJ Chark to target this season, but Williams should be expected to be a key starter alongside Goff’s successor. Williams can be kept under Lions control through 2026, via the fifth-year option. Amon-Ra St. Brown is signed through 2024. With two first-round picks in the 2023 draft, which is viewed as far superior to this year’s quarterback class, Holmes and Co. figure to have that position on their front-burner next April.

Lions Notes: QB2, Williams, Sosna

June 12th, 2022 at 11:19am CST by Rory Parks

The Lions passed on adding a quarterback in this year’s draft, and they will go into the 2022 season with Jared Goff as their starting signal-caller. Behind Goff on the depth chart are Tim Boyle and David Blough, both of whom re-signed with the club in March.

Boyle, who joined the Packers as a UDFA in 2018 and who signed with the Lions last offseason after Green Bay non-tendered him as a restricted free agent, started the first three games of his career in 2021 in relief of an injured Goff. Detroit went 0-3 in those contests, and Boyle completed 64.9% of his passes for three TDs against six interceptions. Blough, meanwhile, has been in the Motor City since he was acquired in a minor trade with the Browns in advance of the 2019 campaign. He has not started a game since that 2019 season, when he went 0-5 with a 64.0 QB rating and a 4:6 TD:INT ratio.

Obviously, the club’s QB2 options are less than inspiring, but the battle between Boyle and Blough will be meaningful for both players as they attempt to extend their NFL careers. And head coach Dan Campbell said it will be an open competition when training camp begins next month, as Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes.

“Competition is great thing,” Campbell said. “I respect what both of them did this spring. That’s what I love about both of them. I know they are going out there to compete against each other.”

Now for several more Lions-related items:

As expected, rookie wideout Jameson Williams will not be on the field when training camp opens, as Birkett writes in a separate piece. Per Birkett, Williams — who tore his ACL in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game in January — is likely to begin camp on the active PUP list, which is consistent with earlier reporting on the matter. If he has not been medically cleared when the regular season begins, he will revert to the reserve PUP list and will be required to miss at least the first six weeks of the season. The Lions are not expected to be a playoff outfit in 2022, and GM Brad Holmes has stated that Williams will be brought along slowly. Given his vast potential, which compelled Holmes to make an aggressive trade up the draft board from No. 32 to No. 12 to land the Alabama star, a conservative approach makes sense. Holmes does expect Williams to suit up for the club this season, though that might not be until November, and Campbell conceded that Williams will spend most of the summer rehabbing. Given all of that, a reserve PUP list designation appears to be the most likely outcome here.
The Lions have hired Brandon Sosna as senior director of football administration, according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.com. Sosna, who worked as a salary-cap and contract analyst for the Browns from 2017-18, had served as the right-hand man to USC athletic director Mike Bohn since 2019. The Trojans reportedly made a strong push to retain Sosna, but the opportunity to rejoin the NFL ranks was too appealing for the UPenn alumnus to turn down.
Yesterday, Lions DL John Penisini announced his retirement.
Our Adam La Rose recently profiled Lions TE T.J. Hockenson as an extension candidate.

Lions Sign Round 1 WR Jameson Williams

May 12th, 2022 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jameson Williams agreed to terms on his fully guaranteed rookie contract Thursday, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Lions now have both their 2022 first-rounders signed, after having inked No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson to his rookie deal earlier this week.

The No. 12 overall pick, Williams will be tied to his rookie deal for at least three seasons and can be under Lions control through 2026 (via the fifth-year option). He is set to earn around $17.5MM on this contract.

Detroit traded its Nos. 32 and 34 picks to Minnesota to climb up for Williams, who zoomed onto the draft radar after his dominant season at Alabama. Williams joins DJ Chark as key offseason receiver additions for a Lions team that featured one of the NFL’s worst wideout situations in 2021.

Playing behind the likes of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave at Ohio State, Williams transferred to an Alabama squad that had just lost DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. The Crimson Tide put the slender speedster to work immediately, and Williams posted a monster season — 79 receptions, 1,572 yards, 15 touchdowns — as a junior to help the SEC powerhouse to another national championship game.

The torn ACL Williams suffered in that loss to Georgia did not impact his draft stock much, but the 179-pound pass catcher is expected to begin the season on the PUP list. Many NFL evaluators expect Williams to be out until November, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com, though the rebuilding Lions are likely fine playing the long game with the recovering prospect.

In addition to signing Williams, the Lions and third-round safety Kerby Joseph agreed on the terms of his rookie contract. The Lions took Jones 97th overall out of Illinois. His four-year deal is worth just more than $5MM, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press notes.

Draft Notes: Remaining QBs, Jets, Vikings, Burks, Johnson

April 29th, 2022 at 5:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the main storylines from last night’s first round was the fact that only one quarterback came off the board. The Steelers have their preferred choice in Kenny Pickett, but the other top options likely won’t have to wait long to hear their names called.

Jeff Howe of the Athletic reports (via Twitter) that “several teams” are trying to move up in the second round. As a result, there is “anticipation that a QB run could be on the way”. A number of teams could be interested in adding the likes of Malik Willis, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder and Matt Corral as intriguing developmental options.

On that point, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer names the Titans, Falcons, Seahawks and Commanders as teams to watch for. He reports that “Ridder’s name has been consistently connected to Tennessee”, who now holds the 35th overall pick. The other teams have done significant work on signal-callers as well. Perhaps eyeing a passer, the Seahawks have made “exploratory calls” about moving up tonight, per CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson (Twitter link).

Here are some other notes looking back on last night:

The Jets, as it has been reported, were willing to part with the No. 10 pick for Deebo Samuel. They almost made a different deal with that selection, though, as detailed by ESPN’s Rich Cimini (on Twitter). New York wanted to swap with Seattle for No. 9 to avoid a team leapfrogging them to select Garrett Wilson. Both teams were able to successfully stand pat, ultimately getting Charles Cross and Wilson, respectively.
Not long after the top-10 was complete, the Vikings ceded the 12th overall pick to the Lions. With their second first-rounder, Detroit selected Jameson Williams, who may have been the pick at that spot had Minnesota kept it. Breer reports that the Alabama receiver “was very much in play ” for the Vikings, who added Lewis Cine and two Day 2 picks as a result of the deal.
Another of the top receivers to be taken last night was Treylon Burks, whom the Titans selected as a replacement for A.J. Brown. When speaking to Pat McAfee, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said the Arkansas alum “was the guy Aaron Rodgers wanted” (video link). With him off the board, the Packers extended their streak of not using a Round 1 pick on a wideout, but he reports that they are a candidate to trade up for one tonight (video link).
One of the most surprising fallers on Thursday night was pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II. Part of the reason he was still on the board for the Jets at No. 25, Breer notes, was poor interviews with teams in the pre-draft process. Thought by some as a top-10 pick, he ended up with the Jets anyway, and figures to serve as a notable boost to their pass rush.

Lions Acquire No. 12 From Vikings, Select WR Jameson Williams

April 28th, 2022 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

After selecting at No. 2, the Lions have now moved up to No. 12, and they’ve gone with an offensive weapon. With their new selection, Detroit has selected Alabama wideout Jameson Williams.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), the Lions acquired pick No. 12 and No. 46 from the Vikings for picks No. 32, No. 34, and No. 66.

Williams suffered a torn ACL in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship game. Assuming he is placed on the physically unable to perform list, the rookie wideout wouldn’t be able to make his NFL debut until at least Week 7, which would be late October.

When healthy, Williams is one of the best receivers in the draft. He had a breakout campaign in 2021 after transferring from Ohio State to Alabama, finishing with 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning him a first-team All-American nod. A number of teams have been connected to the receiver, including the Jets and Eagles.

In Detroit, he’ll provide an uncertain offense with a jolt of energy. Previous reports indicated that the organization made the trade for Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett, and it will be interesting to see if the organization adds a rookie to compete with Jared Goff under center.

Draft Rumors: Packers, Eagles, CBs, Chiefs, Cowboys, Williams, Giants

April 28th, 2022 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Packers‘ streak of not drafting a wide receiver in Round 1 has hit 20 years, but they may be prepared to snap it in a few hours. After trading Davante Adams and letting Marquez Valdes-Scantling walk in free agency, Green Bay enters the draft with a glaring need at this position. The team is exploring trade-up scenarios ahead of Round 1, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Holding the Nos. 22 and 28 picks, the Packers standing pat runs the risk of seeing the top receivers being taken ahead of them. Drake London, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jameson Williams could all go off the board in the first half of Round 1. Other receivers are firmly on the first-round radar as well. The Packers have traded up in the first round under GM Brian Gutekunst, doing so for Jordan Love two years ago. That scrutinized pick prevented the Pack from landing a first-round receiver to pair with Adams, and the team’s efforts to trade up in the 2020 second round failed. Can Gutekunst and Co. pull off a deal tonight?

Hours away from the first round, here is the latest draft buzz:

Even though the Giants are looking less likely to complete an early separation from Kadarius Toney, they are shopping Darius Slay ton. The new Big Blue regime may be open to a splashy receiver addition tonight. A Giants-Williams connection has surfaced ahead of Round 1, Breer adds. Williams would seemingly be in play with the Giants’ No. 7 pick, with the team being closely tied to a tackle at No. 5. The Giants are also open to trading out of the 7 slot, with ESPN’s Dianna Russini confirming that remains the case (Twitter link). A move down could keep them in play for Williams, whose ACL tear (and expected PUP-list stay) may not dissuade a rebuilding team like the Giants from pulling the trigger.
Add the Cowboys to the list of teams trying to move up, via Tony Pauline of ProFootballNetwork.com (on Twitter). Jerry Jones said recently he would OK a trade-up maneuver, and a Wednesday-night report indicated Dallas is interested in tackles Charles Cross and Trevor Penning, along with London. A trade for Cross or London might be unrealistic, unless the Cowboys are prepared to trade into the top 10. The Giants have been closely connected to Cross at No. 5. Penning could still be on the board by the middle of the first round, however.
Although the Eagles‘ trade-up effort may well be for Kayvon Thibodeaux, depending on how far the defensive end falls, other teams are expecting a potential Philly move to address a different defensive spot. Rivals believe an Eagles move into the top 10 would be for a cornerback, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. The Eagles hosted Ahmad Gardner on a “30” visit and made a play for Stephon Gilmore in free agency. Rostering Darius Slay as their top corner, the Eagles should be expected to make a notable addition at the position. A vault from No. 15 into the top 10 would almost certainly be necessary to land Gardner or Stingley, both of whom having been consistently connected to top-10 landing spots.
Rumored to be readying a trade-up, the Chiefs do not look likely to climb into the top half of the first round. They have told teams in the top 15 such a move would be too steep, Breer adds. The Chiefs have the Nos. 29 and 30 picks in the first round. Receiver is expected to be in play for the perennial AFC West champs, who have also been connected to pass-rushing help.

Saints Willing To Move Up Or Down In First Round

April 28th, 2022 at 3:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

The middle and later stages of tonight’s first round are expected to house most of the trade action which could take place. That makes the Saints one of the most important teams to watch. It comes as little surprise, then, that New Orleans has been calling other teams regarding moves up and down the board (Twitter link via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler).

After their deal with the Eagles, the Saints own the 16th and 19th overall picks. That likely puts them in range of some – if not all – of the top quarterbacks in the class. If the team does elect to add a signal-caller, it appears their preference would be either Kenny Pickett or Matt Corral. With that said, the team has already re-signed Jameis Winston and added veteran backup Andy Dalton, leading some to believe other positions could be of greater concern to them.

The two positions most referenced along those lines are offensive tackle and wide receiver. In need of a Terron Armstead replacement, Trevor Penning will likely be the top blocker still available at 16, so a move up to select a top-tier option like Charles Cross wouldn’t come as a surprise. Likewise, the team would, in all likelihood, need to move into the top 10 (or thereabouts) to be in range of wideouts such as Drake London, Jameson Williams and Garrett Wilson as they look to boost last year’s passing game.

If the top options at those positions are off the board by the middle of the round, though, a trade down would become a possibility. The strength of this class is said to be truly seen on Day 2; especially if the team chooses not to add a quarterback, then, and a run on the position occurs in the 20s, moving down could become mutually beneficial for the Saints and a QB-hungry team.

Like all Day 1 trades, the ultimate decisions teams make will become known in a matter of hours. Depending on how the top of the board shakes out, New Orleans could become one of the most active teams, and therefore one worth keeping an eye on.

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