Alabama Crimson Tide receiver Jameson Williams had a career year in 2024, and the Detroit Lions have taken notice.
On Friday, ESPN's Field Yates reported that the Lions were exercising the fifth-year options for defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Williams. Hutchinson was the second-overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, while Williams was taken 12th overall in the same draft.
Williams is still on his four-year, $17.4 million rookie contract with the Lions until the 2026 season, per Spotrac. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
The Lions had their season end in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, losing at the hands of the Washington Commanders 45-31.
Williams set a new career high in receiving yards (1,0001), receptions (58) and touchdowns (7) last season.
His college career did not start at Alabama, but with the Ohio State Buckeyes in 2019. He spent two seasons at Ohio State before transferring to Alabama, where he recorded 1,572 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 2021.
However, things did not go well in his final college game, as he suffered a torn ACL in the national championship. Alabama lost that game to the Georgia Bulldogs 33-18.
Due to the timing of the injury, Williams was placed on the injured reserve while recovering from his torn ACL, meaning he had to miss at least the first four games of the 2022 NFL season.
He did not see the field in 2022 until Week 13 and played in six games. In 2023, he was found guilty of violating the NFL's gambling policy and had to sit out for the first six games. Williams violated the policy by gambling on college sports at the Lions' practice facility.
After the suspension, Williams returned to action and had 354 receiving yards and two touchdowns that season. A key piece of the Lions' receiving corps is staying for the foreseeable future.
