The Detroit Lions‘ aerial offense is filled with rising stars. They have an accurate quarterback, a playmaking tight end, and a steady set of linemen. But the most prodigious pair in the Motor City in 2024 will likely be a set of speedy superheroes.
When wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown joined the Lions as a fourth-round pick in the 2021 draft, it turned out to be a steal, as he quickly emerged as one of the best and most explosive receivers in the NFL. When they selected Alabama All-American Jameson Williams in the first round just a year later, he seemed like the final crown jewel their offense was waiting for.
While injuries and a six-game suspension held Williams back in his first two years in The League, he will be ‘all-systems-go’ to start the 2024-2025 campaign. And alongside St. Brown, he can blast off like Iron Man in his third pro season.
As part of the resurgence that has taken place with the Detroit Lions under Head Coach Dan Campbell, the young stars have flourished but haven’t quite reached the apex of their overall potential. But stay tuned. There’s reason to believe these two Superfriends will put up huge numbers together.
The Detroit Lions Have Emerged as an Elite Offense
When you have Jared Goff under center and rising star Sam LaPorta at tight end, life is a lot easier for a wide receiver. Likewise, having two stealth jets like St. Brown and Williams will be like playing a fast-paced video game. The potential for plenty of points is at a galactic level for the Lions.
This receiving resurgence began with St. Brown’s first season with the team. He set a franchise rookie receiving record, posting 912 yards, and added five touchdowns in a happily productive initial year. Now playing full-time alongside a physical force like Jameson Williams, the team hopes he will see fewer double teams. That could make St. Brown a Superman among the NFL’s most elite receivers.
Coach Campbell has changed the squad’s attitude on the field and in the locker room. Meanwhile, GM Brad Holmes has shown that he has the right touch when assembling the Detroit Lions’ overall roster. This is a team that has risen to the top of the NFL. And that winning attitude and environment should provide every opportunity for Amon-Ra St. Brown to continue his success story.
Now that QB Goff finally received his much-deserved contract extension (through the 2028 season), he’ll be able to focus on matching – or surpassing – his amazing numbers from 2023: 4,575 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. If he comes close to those statistics, his receiving corps will reap some mighty rewards and could result in having a pair of Pro Bowlers at wideout.
The Jump Off for Jameson
The duo’s collective success will ultimately lie more in the hands of Jameson Williams. As great as St. Brown has been, he’s obviously much more established and the clear-cut leader in the receiving ranks. He’s on his way to multiple Pro Bowls and plenty of accolades.
Provided he stays healthy and stays in Motown (he’s also signed through 2028), St. Brown has the chance to go down as one of the greatest players in Detroit Lions history. That’s the kind of Megatron-like status he’s achieved thus far at just 24 years of age.
While the fans have faith in their number-one receiver, they still haven’t gotten a good look at Williams. He missed almost his entire rookie season with an ACL injury, so he will not get his jets firing until November. So, his playing time and stats were essentially minuscule.
Then, last season, he was forced to sit out of the Detroit Lions’ first four regular season games due to being involved in gambling activity that violated the NFL policies. (Three other teammates were also suspended, as were other players around the league).
Despite that tumultuous start to his career, he bounced back to pull in 24 catches, 354 yards, and 2 TDs. Most importantly, the team, coaching staff, and Lions fan base still have a lot of faith in him.
Williams spent much of last season watching Josh Reynolds grabbing passes that likely should have had his name written all over them. But now, Reynolds (40 catches, 608 yards, 5 TDs in 2023) has moved on to the Denver Broncos, leaving an opportunity for the former 12th overall pick to finally live up to his hype.
Now, many believe Williams will step up to become a furious force in the NFC North. All right next to his pass-catching partner, Amon-Ra St. Brown. That combination could be enough to finally push the Lions into their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.
So in 2024, fans in Detroit will need to look up in the sky. Those aren’t birds, and they’re not planes. It’s two speedy stars who are about to lift the Lions’ offense to infinity… and beyond.
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Ryan K Boman is the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays about Embracing Life with Laughter & Love. His previous work has appeared at The Miami Herald, SB Nation, Bounding into Sports, and Yardbarker.
Follow him on social media @RyanKBoman.
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