Analyzing the financial impact of the Detroit Lions 2022 draft class

Round 1-WR Jameson Williams

The Lions clearly identified Williams as someone they wanted, and put their money where their mouth was by trading up 20 spots in the first round to get him at No. 12. A torn ACL in January’s national title game did not deter them, and by all accounts the rookie wideout is recovering well.

With what salaries for veteran wide receivers are doing (see Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, A.J. Brown), teams are certainly looking to add young guys and the college game has sent deep and talented classes to the league at the position three years in a row now (at least).

Via Justin Rogers of The Detroit News, Holmes spoke directly about having the fifth-year option on Williams.

"I would say it’s good to have that fifth-year option on a guy like that, when you look at the totality of it,”  “With Jameson, specifically, he was a guy where there was total buy-in, total conviction. I was just in love with him. I said, ‘Look, this is a guy that we want to get and I think he can be a game-changer for us.’”"

Holmes’ comments may have been rooted in the idea Williams likely won’t be totally at full strength coming off his ACL tear until late in his rookie season, or even until 2023. He would ideally prove himself worthy of a new contract before that fifth-year option really becomes a thing. But that doesn’t change the value of a rookie deal for a potential No. 1 wide receiver–projected (via Spotrac) four years and $17.46 million before the fifth-year option.