In Jameson Williams’ first two NFL seasons, the Detroit Lions got 25 receptions for 395 yards and three touchdowns in 18 regular-season games from the first-round draft pick.

Then in 2023, the former Alabama All-American produced 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 receptions in 15 regular-season games.

But John Morton, the Lions’ new offensive coordinator, said Williams’ breakout season is still ahead of him.

“When I first got here, he came in to see me and we had a chat,” Morton said on Tuesday. “I painted a picture: This is what you need to do; this is how I see it. He has been unbelievable. Unbelievable in the meetings, attention to detail. I’m so excited to see him this year. It’s going to be a breakout year for him, so I can’t wait. I just can’t wait, man.”

When Williams arrived in Detroit as the 12th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Morton was working as a senior offensive assistant for the Lions.

Because he had sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his final college game – the CFP national-championship contest for the 2021 season — Williams wasn’t able to practice with his NFL teammates until Nov. 21, 2022, and made his debut on Dec. 4, 2022, so Morton was around to see Williams for only 78 offensive snaps before departing to become the Denver Broncos’ pass-game coordinator.

Morton came back to the Lions as offensive coordinator after Ben Johnson left that position to become the head coach of the Chicago Bears. Detroit wide-receivers coach Antwaan Randle El left with him to become assistant head coach/wide-receivers coach in Chicago.

Williams’ new position coach is not new to the Lions. Scottie Montgomery had been Detroit’s assistant head coach/running-backs coach for the past two seasons. For 2025, Montgomery has switched position groups to wide receivers.

Montgomery said he’s already seen a change in Williams in the offseason program.

“He was here when I got back here, so that’s a big deal to me,” Montgomery said on Tuesday. “When I came off the couple-week break we had, Jamo was already here. In the offseason, I didn’t have to call him. Once I got the job, he knew exactly what it was. He just came up just to say hello to me because he knew what we needed to get done.

“And then now, two days ago or yesterday – I get my days confused – probably one of the better meetings I’ve ever seen him in in that setting. It was a total offensive meeting, where you talk about the communication level and the questions and the football IQ and the acumen that he was asking questions about is what you really wanted to see. And that’s what we got to do.

“Are we where we want to be? No, we’re not there. And I’m not saying he’s shown us something that he’s not there, but we’re going to take baby steps. If he keeps developing the way he’s doing right now, he’s going to get to a location that he really, really likes. Really satisfied with where he is right now, but we got a long way to go.”

Williams will have at least two more seasons to get to that location with the Lions. On April 25, Detroit picked up its option for a fifth season on the wide receiver’s rookie contract. By doing so, the Lions guaranteed Williams a pay day of $15.493 million for the 2026 season.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.