Late last month at the league meetings, Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes confirmed the decision to pick up wide receiver Jameson Williams' fifth-year option on or before the May 1 deadline. The rest of what he said about a contract extension for Williams was less clear-cut, at minimum.
"In terms of extensions, again, there's a lot of extensions that are hopefully coming, but it's just one that you don't know what's gonna happen from a financial standpoint," Holmes said. "Because a wide receiver is very expensive. Look, these are good problems to have."
When it comes down to it, the Lions will simply not be able to pay everyone. Williams would be under contractual control for two years after the decision to pick up his fifth-year option, but after that it's an open question if a market value contract for him is viably in the Lions' future budget.
Then came a notable pre-draft visit, fairly late in the process, with a wide receiver who is projected to be a first-round pick (que the eyeball emojis). At the league meetings, head coach Dan Campbell said he'd like to add some competition and youth to the wide receiver mix.
Insider pores gas on trade speculation around Jameson Williams
It's one thing for writers who cover a team to try to read tea leaves about a situation and offer analysis/opinions. It's entirely another thing when a plugged-in national NFL insider goes that way, and names names.
In two new columns on Monday morning to kick off draft week, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated mentioned the possibility the Lions will trade Williams.
In a general notes piece, on the subject of the fifth-year option decision deadline and it possibly leading to a trade or two, Breer named Williams as someone with an "uncertain future."
"It definitely makes you wonder if, say, the uncertain future of guys such as Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams or Giants OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux could elicit phone calls in the coming days.
In a piece outlining draft needs for each team, Breer went to the Williams' well again in the Lions' section.
"Receiver’s another spot to consider—with a fifth-year option decision coming on Jameson Williams, and some in NFL circles believing he could be traded."
Breer moved from what seemed like a bit of informed speculation in the vein of upcoming fifth-year option decisions to outright offering the idea people in league circles think Williams could be traded. That's a big step up from Lions' reporters thinking it's possible, or outlining questions about Williams' long-term future in Detroit.
A well-respected national insider, and one who in Lions' terms reported Ben Johnson coveting the Chicago Bears' head coaching job going back to a time when it never came open, is putting it out there Williams could be traded.
It still feels unlikely the Lions will trade Williams unless they got an offer they couldn't refuse. But teams may call about him in the coming days around the draft, and it's not out of the question they'd do it if a plan to replace him can be set up.
