The Lions traded up in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft to select Williams No. 12 overall, despite knowing his first season would be mostly a wash. The 22-year-old didn’t appear in a game until December and caught a single pass for a 41-yard TD in six contests.
Randel El noted that last year Williams got “a lot of mental reps,” but it’s the physical ones this offseason that will help him hit the ground running once the suspension ends.
“It’s just a matter of him being on the field over and over again. Man, that’s part of having that offseason, and that’s why you always want a young guy to have the offseason to just be able to get ready for the season,” Randle El said. “Training camp is coming up. Again, another opportunity on the field, being with the quarterbacks, hearing the calls, all those different things that need to take place over and over again. You can see he’s getting it.”
If the Lions are to end their six-year postseason drought, they’ll need Williams to play a significant role once he returns to the offense in Week 7. The wideout’s speed and vertical ability bring a different dimension to the offense than anyone else on the roster.
Thus far, Williams’ pro career has been a projection of talent. A franchise that has seen its share of highly drafted wideouts wash out early in their careers, Detroit needs to see that promise from Williams turn into production when he eventually begins his season.