There were reports suggesting the Detroit Lions were considering trading wide receiver Jameson Williams ahead of the NFL Draft. However, those rumors quickly lost steam once the Lions picked up Williams’ fifth-year option and GM Brad Holmes dismissed the speculation as something that hadn’t even crossed his mind.
Trading Williams never truly made much sense for Detroit, especially after his strong performance last season alongside Amon-Ra St. Brown in the Lions’ offense. Even though the team fell short of its Super Bowl aspirations, Williams and St. Brown showed that Jared Goff has one of the league’s premier wide receiver duos — a strength that remains despite Ben Johnson’s exit to coach the Chicago Bears.
Their chemistry keeps drawing national attention as the 2025 season nears. Among those taking notice is CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, who recently ranked St. Brown and Williams as the NFL’s fifth-best wide receiver tandem.
Benjamin noted that the impact of these two dynamic receivers has played a significant role in elevating Goff’s reputation as a serious MVP contender and one of the top quarterbacks in football.
“Goff’s late-career rise reflects both his personal grit and Detroit’s strong foundation, including this electric pair. St. Brown plays bigger than his size and brings explosiveness, while Williams is a swift deep threat. If he can stay healthy, they could light up defenses,” Benjamin wrote in his rankings.
The only duos listed ahead of St. Brown and Williams were CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens (Dallas Cowboys), Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison (Minnesota Vikings), Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals), and DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown (Philadelphia Eagles).
It may feel premature to rank Lamb and Pickens above a proven, complementary duo like St. Brown and Williams, but on paper, the Lions’ tandem remains among the most formidable in the NFC.
Interestingly, the Vikings were the only other NFC North team mentioned by Benjamin, highlighting the gap between Detroit, Minnesota, and the rest of the division when it comes to elite playmaking talent.
