Time, it is said, waits for no man. In spite of that, the Detroit Lions have spent the better part of three years waiting on Jameson Williams.
First, the Lions showed patience with Williams as he rehabbed an ACL injury sustained in his final game at Alabama. They traded up for him in the draft in spite of the fact he would miss most of his rookie year. Then the team supported his recovery, easing him into action late that season.
The Lions then hoped for a big 2023 season from Williams. Instead, he made a mistake and was forced to sit out four games due to an offseason violation of the NFL's gambling policy. That cost the young wideout valuable time to jell with Jared Goff and find his place in the offense.
This season, all was well. It was assumed Williams had matured, and once the season began he became a big play waiting to happen. Then, he was forced to sit two games in violation of the NFL's performance-enhancing substance policy. Now, Williams is faced with potential legal trouble stemming from a gun-related incident that could lead to another suspension.
In a lot of cases, three off-the-field strikes of this kind means a player would be out. But thanks to tantalizing talent, the Lions continue to show Williams grace and offer him leeway. At a certain point though, mistakes that seem to be avoidable add up. The franchise will tire of bad press. They will eventually stop dreaming about Williams' potential and simply find drama-free players who are available
Now that the Lions look like a sustainable Super Bowl contender, Williams has a choice. He can wake up and become a consistent, featured piece in an elite offense, or he can continue his current trajectory and risk losing a long-term deal, or worse yet, jeopardize his career.
Jameson Williams must reward Dan Campbell's unwavering faith
Lions head coach Dan Campbell is loyal to his players, and assuming they meet him halfway he will do whatever it takes to stand up for them. He proved that again with his comments about Williams' situation on Wednesday.
"I know it certainly doesn't look good. I get that. But by the same token, it kind of all came on here at the same time. It's really decision making for him and that's where he knows he can be better. Don't put yourself in those situations. He's gonna learn from this (and) grow from it. We've talked about it and I still think there's been a ton of growth out of this player."
At this point, Campbell is used to sticking up for Williams, constantly vouching for his abilities and character when it's fair for fans to wonder about both given the persistence of issues. With consummate pros like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Kalif Raymond occupying the same receiver room, the juxtaposition is becoming more glaring.
It's time for Williams to mature and reward the faith Campbell has shown, to say nothing of the city, fans and franchise that have stuck with him through some early hiccups. Otherwise, this situation will ultimately represent a colossal waste of talent and time. Only Williams can decide what happens next.