Calvin Johnson: Jameson Williams Can Be 'X-Factor' for Lions

Calvin Johnson has high expectations for Jameson Williams in 2024.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions have high expectations for wide receiver Jameson Williams ahead of the upcoming season.

The third-year wideout is expected to compete for starter reps opposite of star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Calvin Johnson, appearing on Woodward Sports, expressed the ex-Crimson Tide wide receiver can elevate his game and help Detroit get to the next level.

"Jameson can be huge. You know, you mentioned Amon-Ra (St. Brown). We know he's huge. He's 'Mr. Consistent' for us. But Jameson can be that x-factor for this team," said Johnson. "I think we saw it when he first came in. He had those, his first couple catches were like touchdowns or just huge splash plays. Everyone was like, 'Oh, shoot.' And I just think about it, as a rookie, you're like, 'Man, okay, if we polished that thing off a little bit right there man, we're going to have something good.' Yeah, I'm excited for the kid.

"He just, he had a little bit of some ups and downs, but hopefully at the end of the day, that's stepping stones, man. So, as long as he's viewing those as such and getting better from those man, I'm excited about his potential."

Almost booking a trip to Super Bowl

Like many supporters, the retired NFL receiver almost booked a trip to Las Vegas at halftime of the NFC Championship game.

With Detroit leading by multiple touchdowns, Johnson was only seconds away from booking his travel and lodging for one of the biggest games in Lions franchise history.

"I was sitting there at halftime with wifey. We had my iPad and her iPad up," said Johnson. "One of them had the flight arrangement, the other for the hotel. I couldn't make it out to the game because I had an event that weekend, a watch party. But, I was literally about to hit click and there was something in me. I had a little spark, a little vision there, just -- I'm not saying I had a vision of what was going to happen.

"But man, I played nine years in Detroit and seen a lot of stuff happen. You seen a lot of stuff. I mean, the biggest key beyond that was everything said non-refundable. I was like, all right, hold on. That's the thing in these games," Johnson continued. "You saw how the momentum was going to swing at some point. It's just a matter of if you can just retain it after that. And we weren't able to retain it, unfortunately.

Confidence in Lions team in 2024

Johnson has reconciled his issues with the team, thanks in large part to Chief Operating Officer Mike Disner working to repair the fractured relationship.

Recently, Ford Field welcomed the cannabis brand Primitiv, which Johnson and fellow former Lion Rob Sims co-founded, as its official performance partner.

Johnson believes the 2024 season should see the team continue to have a significant amount of success, irregardless of who is on the schedule.

"Last year was a great opportunity, but seeing them progress through the season, seeing them win tough games -- I really don't care who's on the other side now," said Johnson. "Because we have a solid quarterback, we got a solid offense. We sure up that defense a little bit, man, I'm excited about going back into this next year. Whoever we're playing."

Defense wins championships

When asked about the 29th overall pick, Johnson indicated that while it is always appealing to add offensive talent, focusing on the defense should be the decision for general manager Brad Holmes.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver expressed that adding talent at any position along the defense gives the team more amunition to bring home a Lombardi trophy, even indicating the team should still target two more defensive backs in this year's draft.

.@calvinjohnsonjr joins Ermanni and Edwards with Maz to discuss Jameson Willliams. pic.twitter.com/MV6L4tFTrO

— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) March 26, 2024