The Lions’ 2023 NFL draft plans might look different after four of their players, including star wide receiver Jameson Williams, were suspended Friday for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Williams and Stanley Berryhill, a backup wide receiver and special-teams contributor, will miss the first six games of the season because they reportedly placed bets on college games from an NFL facility.
Also, the team cut wide receiver Quintez Cephus and defensive back C.J. Moore after the special teams contributors were suspended indefinitely through at least the conclusion of the 2023 season for betting on NFL games last season.
It’s a messy situation for the Lions, and one that might force them to alter their draft plans next week with two first-round picks at Nos. 6 and 18. The Lions were viewed as NFC North contenders after winning eight of their final 10 games last season with an emerging young roster. But winning the division will be tougher to achieve without Williams, a dynamic downfield threat. It will be the second consecutive season that the Lions will be forced to wait for their 2022 first-round pick.
© Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Flowers had 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdown for Boston College in 2022. Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports
Fantasy impact: Jameson Williams was expected to be sleeper in 2023
Williams contributed only one catch his rookie season, missing 11 games while recovering from a torn ACL he sustained in college. But that lone catch—a 41-yard touchdown against the Vikings—provided a glimpse of Williams’s high upside and why he’s a vital piece if the Lions are going to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016.
The Lions don’t want their playoff hopes hinging on Williams, so they might consider drafting a wide receiver in the early rounds to provide immediate help for Amon-Ra St. Brown, the team’s top playmaker who had 106 catches for 1,161 yards and six touchdowns in 2022.
Marvin Jones returned to Detroit, and the Lions also have Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond to form a decent receiving rotation behind St. Brown. But staying afloat isn’t ideal for the Lions, who haven’t won a division title since 1993.
But, it’s understandable if the Lions don’t use a high draft pick on a notable wide receiver prospect such as Jalin Hyatt, Zay Flowers or Quentin Johnston to fill a temporary need with Williams sidelined. Perhaps Detroit prioritizes tight end in the first round because it’s searching for a starter after trading T.J. Hockenson to the Vikings.
Dalton Kincaid, who’s regarded as the best receiving tight end in a loaded draft class for the position, could be available at No. 18. The former Utah standout would fill a need and provide quarterback Jared Goff with another dynamic target. Kincaid was reportedly cleared to return to the practice field after sustaining a back injury last season.
The Lions might be scrambling to find immediate help when the draft starts Thursday, and that could take them off the quarterback market. Using one of their two first-round picks on Anthony Richardson or Will Levis seems less likely now with the Lions also needing depth on the defensive side.
The back end of the Lions’ draft will also be affected because Moore, Cephus and Berryhill provided help on special teams. Detroit currently has nine draft picks to find new special teams players.
The once-surging Lions were playing with house money after their first-round pick from the Rams turned into the sixth pick for this year’s draft. But after the suspensions became official Friday, they lost their draft flexibility, and their postseason hopes took a major hit.