Most feel that the most likely way that the Cleveland Browns add a pass-catcher to their roster will be via the second overall pick in the NFL Draft. However, an alternative option to selecting someone with an unrefined offensive skillset has presented itself, and the Cleveland Browns should take the time necessary to fully explore it. That option? Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams.
It is expected that the Lions will look to field trade offers for the former first round pick, and it certainly seems like Williams is open to that possibility based on his recent social media activity. Parting ways seems like it is in the best interest of both sides here, and the Browns should consider bringing the former Alabama star into their receiver room.
Williams' first two seasons in Detroit were relatively uninspiring, finishing with 25 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns in 18 games played (10 starts).
A late-rookie season debut combined with a second-year suspension for gambling limited his impact during this time, but it was his third season that Williams finally displayed the potential that made him the 12th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.
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In his first (mostly) full season (minus a two-game PED suspension), Williams caught 58 passes for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns, proving himself as a capable complementary wide receiver to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
With the Lions having to make a decision on Williams' fifth-year option and already investing $120+ million in St. Brown, it seems likely that Detroit will look to use the money that would have been allocated for Williams on other parts of the roster. This is where Cleveland comes into the equation.
The Browns need another wide receiver, and even though selecting Colorado's Travis Hunter is tempting, trading for someone who has not only played the position in the NFL already but has proven capable of doing so and would come at a fraction of the draft capital cost may be the best way to go here.
It would free up the second overall pick for other uses, including selecting Penn State's Abdul Carter or even trading down if another player ends up being their true target.
Taking a chance on a player like Williams would not be surprising for the Browns, considering their previous offseason acquisitions of Elijah Moore and Jerry Jeudy. Both were underperforming players with the organizations that drafted them in need of a change of scenery.
While Jeudy's time in Cleveland has been more productive than Moore's, going 1-2 on receiver acquisitions via trade should not preclude the Browns from taking this avenue again.
Trading for Williams and picking up his fifth-year option or even extending him before he plays a single snap for the team (like Jeudy) would not be a surprising development here. This Browns regime is no stranger to repeating processes no matter the result, and the fact that the trade for Jeudy worked out so well could be a determining factor in how they approach this situation.
Cleveland loves to bring in players with unrealized potential, and for the most part, that describes Williams. Sure, 2024 was a breakout of sorts for Williams, but the first two seasons and his PED suspension from last year show that he still has some room to grow, and that is something the Browns like to bet on.
Do not be surprised if Cleveland at least engages in a conversation with Detroit about Williams' availability and his respective asking price. That is the least they can do where this organization currently stands from a talent perspective, and the likely highly discounted cost of his original draft position could make this too enticing to pass up for Cleveland.