Lions' 2023 Review: Amon-Ra St. Brown Cements Elite Status

St. Brown excels, Jameson Williams ends year on high note.

The Detroit Lions offense has been among the league's best throughout the last two seasons. 

Though plenty of the attention rightfully goes to their run game, the passing attack has been prolific. Quarterback Jared Goff has distributed the ball well to his talented cast, headlined by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Here's a look at where the Lions stand at the wide receiver position heading into the offseason. 

Reason for hope

Amon-Ra St. Brown had his second consecutive 1,000-yard season and set new career highs for receptions, yards and touchdowns. In just his third season, the USC product surpassed 1,500 yards and has left no doubt about his status as one of the league's elite receivers. 

He was a first down machine for the Lions, as 93 of his 141 catches moved the chains. St. Brown has a relentless work ethic, so it's hard to imagine him being satisfied with the amount of success he has had in his first three campaigns. 

The reasons for hope extend beyond St. Brown for the Lions at the position. Second-year wideout Jameson Williams showed elite flashes in the first extended stint of his career. 

Williams' speed was no secret, and he was able to show it off at points this season. In particular, he ended the season on a high note with his first career multi-touchdown game in the NFC Championship. 

On the fourth play of that game, he raced 42 yards for a score on an end around. He added a receiving touchdown late in the contest. 

The young wideout showed marked improvement in both his hands and route running throughout the season and will have high expectations in 2024. After dropping a total of five passes across his first four games, Williams did not have a drop in his last 11. 

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson continued to find unique ways to involve Williams at points, an element that will be on display next season. If St. Brown continues to play at a high level and Williams can remain consistent, the Lions have the making of a dominant top two wideouts.

Lions' 2023 Review: Montgomery, Gibbs Pairing Proves Electric

Reason for worry

Josh Reynolds had a solid campaign as a secondary wideout for the Lions, posting 608 receiving yards and five touchdowns in the regular season. He's set to be a free agent though, and the Lions will have to decide whether or not to retain the wideout. 

The coaching staff has praised Reynolds for his work ethic and versatility, but it remains to be seen whether his price tag will be too high for the Lions. If Detroit can't hold on to him, it will need to add a solid option to work with St. Brown and Williams. 

The Lions will also have to make a decision on Donovan Peoples-Jones, a trade deadline acquisition who had a quiet impact after joining the team. 

A player like Peoples-Jones is good for depth, however, and he played a key role returning punts in the playoffs after Kalif Raymond suffered an injury.

Detroit will need to find reliable depth at the position moving forward. Raymond signed a two-year extension prior to the season but contributes sparingly on offense from the slot position. 

Antoine Green is a potential option, but he had just one catch for two yards. If Detroit chooses to target a wideout in the Draft, mid-round prospects such as Michigan's Roman Wilson and Alabama's Jermaine Burton are both big-play wideouts who could fit within Johnson's system. 

Biggest question

Can Jameson Williams ascend to the Lions number two receiver? He made strides this season, but now he will face another test as the Lions look to make him the second option. 

He has elite field-stretching ability thanks to his speed, but there is still work to be done in this area. He caught five of 16 targets beyond 20 yards this season, per Pro Football Focus, with two going for touchdowns. 

That deep connection will continue to develop as Williams banks reps. He's still yet to play a full season and has played just 18 regular season games in two years. 

His improvement over the course of the season is encouraging. With this upward trajectory, all signs are pointing toward him having a much bigger role in 2024. 

Free agents

• WR Josh Reynolds (Unrestricted free agent)
• WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (Unrestricted free agent)