“No. No,” Holmes said of the trade rumors surrounding Jameson Williams. “That’s something we have never entertained. I don’t know where that report came from. But that’s not a conversation that me and Dan (Campbell) has ever had.”
Brad Holmes didn’t leave any room for interpretation when asked about the trade rumors concerning Jameson Williams.
As always, speculation runs rampant during draft week, and with Williams’ fifth-year option due in the next week, some of it turned to the electric wide receiver.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote earlier this week that “some in NFL circles believe he could be traded,” and then the rumors took off. But the Detroit Lions general manager is doing his best to shut those down, saying he’s not sure where those noise came from.
“No. No,” Holmes said. “That’s something we have never entertained. I don’t know where that report came from. But that’s not a conversation that me and Dan (Campbell) has ever had.”
The Lions have until May 1 to exercise the fifth-year option on Williams’ contract. They have said they plan to do that, no surprise, and continue to evaluate the receiver’s contract situation.
In all, they have two seasons of team control left on the receiver.
Williams is fresh off his first 1,000-yard campaign in the league, showing the big-play potential that made him the 12th overall pick back in 2022. He averaged 17.3 yards per reception, setting career-highs in stats and usage across the board.
Amon-Ra St. Brown and Williams. have formed one of the tougher one-two punches at receiver to defend in the NFL. St. Brown is a two-time first-team All-Pro who is one of the most dependable offensive players, not just receivers, in the NFL. Williams might be the fastest player in the league, demanding attention whenever he steps on the field.
The Lions might still be interested in adding more youth to their receiver situation, with Tim Patrick and Kalif Raymond behind those top two options. Patrick is back on a one-year deal. Raymond is a trusted piece who has played a ton of snaps for the Lions, but his specialty is on special teams as a two-time All-Pro punt returner.
But, for now, the Lions are committed to Williams being a key part in their quest for the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. Things could get interesting when it’s time to talk about a new contract, but for now, they’re enjoying the emergence of electric offensive weapon.
“Look, he was a tremendous player for us last year,” Holmes said a couple of weeks ago at NFL owners meetings. “He’s still scratching the surface. I do think he’s got more in him as well. So I just think it just makes sense for us to do what we can to keep him around.”
