The Detroit Lions have a considerable amount of hype surrounding them entering 2023. They boosted both sides of the ball in the offseason, and are favored to win the NFC North for the first time since 1993. One player the Lions are expecting big things from is Jameson Williams, even though the second-year wideout has been suspended for the first six games of the season due to violating the NFL's gambling policy.
Despite the unfortunate suspension, Lions head coach Dan Campbell says Williams is "miles ahead" entering this season. The young wideout also made a new friend in franchise legend Calvin Johnson, who has pledged to help Williams in his NFL journey.
"I connected with Jamo yesterday really for the first time and I look forward to being around him and being a shoulder for him to lean on," Johnson said Friday on 97.1 The Ticket. "Extremely talented kid. We saw him when he touched the field last year for the first time. I look forward to just helping him build the level of consistency and being the pro he wants to be, man. Anything I can to do help him, I'll do that and I'll be there."
Johnson, of course, is the Lions' all-time leader in receptions (731), receiving yards (11,619) and receiving touchdowns (83). He recorded the best campaign by any receiver in NFL history when he caught 122 passes for 1,964 yards and five touchdowns in 2012, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Maybe there will never be another Calvin Johnson, but Williams certainly has star potential. The Alabama wideout was named First Team All-SEC in 2021 after recording 79 receptions for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns. His touchdown catches ranked most in the SEC, and tied for third most in the nation. Williams played in just six games for the Lions in 2022 due to a torn ACL suffered in college, and caught one pass that went for a 41-yard touchdown. Williams could be Detroit's main weapon on offense moving forward, and he has an invaluable resource in Johnson.
