Jameson Williams has spent the early part of Lions camp looking like a receiver who’s ready to cash in on all that offseason work.
The speed has always been there. That part of his game was never in question. What’s turning heads now is how much more he’s doing with his frame and hands - taking contact, fighting through coverage and finishing catches that used to be the missing piece.
On the first day of training camp, Williams showed it off with a contested 10-yard grab near the sideline while D.J. Reed was tugging on his shirt.
Once the pads came on, the plays only got louder. Last week, he reached up and snagged an over-the-shoulder touchdown in the back corner of the end zone with Rock Ya-Sin draped over him.
WAYMOOOOOO https://t.co/UMelm8JNdP pic.twitter.com/MXhtTELBpD
- Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 6, 2026
That kind of showing lines up with the work Williams said he wanted to put in after Detroit’s 2025 season ended in January. He made it clear then that the next step was about handling traffic better and playing with more strength.
“When I go through traffic on routes, I’m getting pushed over. I just need to be able to hold my weight a little bit.”
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing echoed that same theme last week, pointing to Williams’ effort to add play strength, get faster at the line and play with more force at the top of routes.
“I think that's where he's tried to really improve, gaining some of that play strength, being faster at the line of scrimmage, and playing physical at the top of the route, and I think he's doing a nice job.”
That “nice job” has looked pretty loud in camp. Williams has long been one of the league’s better deep threats, and he earned an honorable mention in the NFL Top 100. But the routes across the middle and the contested grabs were the two big boxes still unchecked in his game.
Tim Twentyman has seen enough through two weeks of camp to put Williams at No. 10 on his list of players who’ve impressed most, and he’s been clear about why.
“Williams has really shown during padded practices how he's become a complete receiver. His speed allows him to make plays down the field, but he also made some tough catches up and over defenders and in a crowd that have been impressive. His route running has also been good, and every day this week he seemed to make a highlight play.”
Jared Goff already has plenty of weapons around him, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs all giving the Lions real firepower. But if Williams’ camp form carries into the season, the idea of a more complete version of him could change the whole shape of Detroit’s passing game.
That’s a dangerous thought for everyone else.
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