Huge Cowboys trade all but confirms Lions’ decision on Jameson Williams

It's impossible not to get curious about trades involving well-known wide receivers in the NFL and wonder why, after speculation of the Detroit Lions' potential interest in trading Jameson Williams, that move has yet to be made.

After an NFL Draft that saw the team honing in on their trenches and really only taking their big swing on a little-known receiver in the third round, it became clear that the Lions were content to hold onto Williams after there were reports that the team was open to trading him prior to the draft.

After the latest trade to rock the NFL post-draft involved a receiver with similar concerns - and upside - to Williams, though, it has become completely clear that the Lions don't plan on moving him anytime soon.

Cowboys trade for George Pickens proves Williams is here to stay

The Dallas Cowboys made a huge splash on Wednesday morning by trading for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver George Pickens. The deal only required a third round pick and a late-round pick swap, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

That sort of transaction, one that comes with the potential for a bust because you simply never know who that third round pick will turn out to be, signals that someone like Williams could've been had for a similar, if not even more lucrative, deal.

Instead, Williams seems primed to remain with Detroit and continue to complement their pretty solid receiving corp led by Amon-Ra St. Brown. He finished up his 2024 season with the team with some great numbers, posting 1,001 receiving yards in addition to seven scores and an average of 17.3 yards per reception. Not bad for Jared Goff's No. 2 receiver.

Of course, this also comes on the heels of two major Lions announcements since those rumors began to swirl around a potential Williams trade: the team picked up Williams' fifth-year option, making sure under contract with the team through 2026. Another key moment came after Lions GM Brad Holmes told reporters he hadn't even entertained such a trade, and that he had no idea how the rumor even began. Grand opening, grand closing.

After the Lions went for linemen, high-floor defenders, and a handful of potential playmakers, they had to stay the course with Williams being a key part to their offense. If they moved him, it'd have to be a trade involving a player swap in order to make it make sense for the contenders.

Picks are fine and all, but for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, they shouldn't be accepting mystery box deals in exchange for 1,000+ receiving yard receivers. They've done the right thing by sticking with Williams and betting on a clean bill of health for most of 2025.