Lions Pick up Williams' Fifth-Year Option

The Detroit Lions will get one more season of Jameson Williams' game-changing speed, as the Lions announced during the 2025 NFL draft that they picked up the fifth-year option on the former Crimson Tide superstar.

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The Lions drafted Williams in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. First-round draft picks have a team option on their contract for a fifth season, allowing teams to get an extra year from game changers they draft in the first round, which typically is cheaper than simply extending the player's contract.

When the Lions drafted Williams, he signed a four-year, $17.4 million contract. His fifth-year option will almost double his career earnings so far, with the Lions owing him $15.4 million during the 2026 NFL season, according to Spotrac.

Williams is coming off a career year in Detroit, where he was third on the team in receptions (58), second in receiving yards (1,001), and tied for second in touchdowns (7). He averaged 17.3 yards per reception in 15 games played with the Lions in the 2024-25 season.

His top performance with the Lions came on December 22 in a 34-17 win over the Chicago Bears, where he caught five passes for 143 yards and a touchdown. It was one of three games last season where Williams had over 100 receiving yards.

Williams was a Biletnikoff finalist in his one season with the Crimson Tide, as the second leading receiver in receptions (79), the Tide's leader in receiving yards (1,572), and Alabama's leader in touchdowns (15). He averaged 19.9 yards per reception with Alabama during the 2021 college football season.

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.