Jamaal Williams

Detroit Lions’ Jamaal Williams flexing towards the crowd. Photo by Kirthmon F. Dozier

By all accounts, both from the Lions organization and the player himself, resigning Jamaal Williams seems to be a done deal. With that being said, if this deal doesn’t get done for some reason, you can catch me sitting outside Allen Park every morning at 5:00 a.m. with a megaphone and pitchfork demanding to talk to Brad Holmes.

Williams is the heart and soul of this team and everything they represent. As of right now, there isn’t really a face-of-the-franchise type player on the team. Dan Campbell can only be the star for so long. Until someone steps on and grabs the alpha dog title with two hands, Jamaal will be the player everyone looks at in times of crisis. Detroit CANNOT let that person go without a successor in the building.

Financially, the cost is worth what we’ll get in return. Williams falls into the “he’s way more valuable to us than he is to you” category of free agency. What does that mean exactly? We’ll probably, and rightfully so, offer him more money than any other team would consider. Spottrac estimates his market value with a contract worth $8.3 million over two years. Expect the Lions to give him $10-11.5 million over the next two seasons. Possibly even more. A third year could be attached, but I doubt much-guaranteed money would be on the table for the final year.

For anyone concerned or angered by the estimation, let’s not forget what Jamaal Williams did for us on the field last season. The 27-year-old led the NFL in rushing touchdowns, crossing the goal line 17 times, four more times than the next best guy (Austin Ekeler, Jalen Hurts, and Josh Jacobs). In the process, he broke Barry Sanders’s franchise record for rushing touchdowns (previously 16, set in 1991). Any time someone’s name is mentioned in the same breath as B, they deserve extra coin.

Most importantly, the former BYU Cougar played all 17 games. Lions fans should be forever grateful we didn’t have to see what this team looked like without Williams in 2022. At any given moment, there’s a 50 percent chance D’andre Swift is healthy enough to play on Sunday, and a 100 percent chance he’s questionable for the 127th consecutive week. The durability Williams has shown in Detroit is not mentioned enough.

Is Jamaal going to repeat his production of 2022 in 2023 and ’24? Probably not. Brad Holmes understands that. But for every reason I mentioned, Jamaal must be re-signed by any means necessary.

D’andre Swift

D’andre Swift running with the football. Photo by Raj Mehta

On the flip side, D’andre Swift has just one year remaining on his rookie contract. In 2023, he’ll cost the Lions just $2.7 million before hitting the open market in 2024. Swift, at times, uses his speed and power effectively in open space, opening up the passing game and breaking off big runs. When Swift hits gaps running full steam and making one strong cut, he’s a weapon.

However, for some reason I can’t figure out, he goes away from what he is best at and instead makes his best Barry Sanders impression; quick, swift, dancing feet moving east and west. It works much less efficiently. Behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL, you’d think this wouldn’t be a problem. But that’s the thing about football; it’s never quite that simple.

It’s plausible to point to the high quantity of injuries Swift has endured as reasons it feels like he leaves a lot on the table, untapped into his full potential. For being on the injury report almost every week, he’s surprisingly missed far fewer games than I anticipated. The three-year vet has never missed more than four contests in a season. That’s one thing I’ll always admire about Swift; even when he isn’t 100 percent, he almost always gives it a go. Playing through injury isn’t always easy, more so mentally in 2023 than anything. 

I hope Swift can stay healthy and have a career season in 2023, forcing us to pay him. However, football is a cutthroat business. If you cannot consistently produce, find a job elsewhere.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions

Barry Sanders: Photo by Raj Mehta

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