Inside the Article:
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams, the No. 12 pick of last year's draft, has been suspended for the first six games of the 2023 NFL season for gambling on non-NFL games from an NFL facility. Despite the suspension, NFL Network draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis believe it will not have much impact on the Lions' draft plans.
Why it Matters
The Lions were already in need of a long-term solution at the receiver position, and Williams' limited contributions as a rookie last season means they were not heavily relying on him to begin with. With Williams out, the Lions will likely turn to Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond, and Marvin Jones to complement Amon-Ra St. Brown, the only other receiver under contract beyond 2023.
Key Points
- Williams has been suspended for the first six games of the 2023 NFL season for gambling on non-NFL games from an NFL facility
- NFL Network draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis do not expect the suspension to impact the Lions' draft plans
- Williams and St. Brown are the only receivers under contract beyond 2023
- The Lions had a long-term need at the receiver position they seemed poised to address in the draft even before Williams' suspension
Analysts explain how Jameson Williams suspension could impact Detroit Lions' draft plan
During recent interviews, both Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis explained that Williams' suspension should not have much of an impact on the Lions' draft plans, at least in the early rounds.
Daniel Jeremiah
“It’s nothing,” Jeremiah said. “What is it? I always think about ‘A Few Good Men,' when he’s like, ‘It’s nothing, Harold. It’s a hockey season.' This is literally six games. That shouldn’t alter your thinking.”
Charles Davis
“I don’t know that it impacts them in the early part of it,” Davis said. “It may impact them later. They may want to grab a few extra guys. Listen, they were already in that area of tight end? Do we add to the defense? What do we do? Now, if one of those top receivers that they really like is sitting there, potentially. But it’s a six-game suspension, he’s not gone for life, so they may want to go ahead and add other places. Plus, I’ve said this is not a — how do I say it, this is not a draft where we’re going to have seven receivers in the first round, but there’s seven rounds of receivers. So they can find people later, I think.”
Bottom Line: Williams' suspension will not alter Lions' draft plans
It is certainly a gut punch that Williams will not be able to play until Week 7, but that should not alter what Lions' GM Brad Holmes had planned for the upcoming NFL Draft. That being said, the Lions do need wide receivers for future years, and it would not be surprising to see Holmes add one in the mid-rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.
