The Detroit Lions knew when they selected Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft that he would be brought along slowly. He had injured his knee during the Crimson Tides’ appearance in the College Football Playoff, delaying the start of his NFL career.
He did eventually get on the field, appearing in the final six games of the regular season. However, his role was a very small one as he played only 78 snaps. Williams had only nine targets, catching one 40-yard pass for a touchdown.
Looking to catch up on lost time, the Lions revealed the intriguing plans that they have for Williams this offseason. They are going to get him as much action in the preseason as they can.
“He needs that. As he does practice. But man, and I’m telling you, as with anybody, the more reps he gets, the more time on tests, the more consecutive practices and reps he can put together, he’ll just grow,” head coach Dan Campbell said of Williams. “I really believe that. And I do believe he wants it. I do believe he wants to get better. … So, he’ll grind through this and let’s see where we can go with it.”
Williams’ performance during training camp has been up and down. His elite speed and athleticism have been on display, but he has also had some mental errors with drops and missed assignments.
Getting in live-action reps will certainly help with some of those issues. But, the biggest reason that Williams is going to be playing such a big role in the exhibition games is because he will be serving a six-game suspension to start the season.
That will be multiple more weeks before Williams is forced to stay away from the Lions, so getting in his work while still eligible to participate is extremely important. The injury and suspension would have certainly turned some teams off, but the Lions remain committed to helping Williams reach his potential.
“I think it’s just, man, time on task, work through it. Because honestly, there are some things that just the simple change of the way your hands are by ball location – pinkie to pinkie, thumb to thumb – that’ll go a long way for him. And so, we just have to keep working through it,” Campbell said.
The Lions’ offense is certainly going to miss Williams those first six weeks of the season. He was expected to take over a large role in the offense with DJ Chark departing in free agency. Emerging star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown needs some help and the Lions are hoping Williams can provide it once he returns in Week 7.
