On Thursday, Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke to the media and when asked about rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams, Campbell said it was the right move to put him on the NFI list.
“He’s got a ways to go,” Campbell said.
Campbell noted that there have not been any setbacks in Williams’ recovery and the Lions just want to get him right.
#Lions coach Dan Campbell says it was the right move to put rookie Jameson Williams on the NFI list. "He's got a ways to go," Campbell said. However, there aren't any setbacks in his recovery. The Lions just want to get him right.
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) August 25, 2022
The Lions selected Williams with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and following the pick, some questioned the decision by Brad Holmes as Williams had just torn his ACL during the College Football Playoffs National Championship Game against Georgia.
During his first interview after being drafted by the Lions, Williams told reporters that his goal was to be ready to roll by the start of training camp.
As we now know, that did not happen as the Lions placed him on the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list to start the 2022 season, which means he will miss a minimum of four weeks but there is speculation that he may actually miss even more time than that.
Previous report:
Brad Holmes gives update on WR Jameson Williams
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN recently released an article and he noted that when he went to Detroit Lions training camp in early August, Brad Holmes told him that Jameson Williams will not play in Week 1 but he would not disclose a timetable beyond that.
From Jeremy Fowler (ESPN):
Detroit is in zero rush with one of its top 2022 draft picks. General manager Brad Holmes said receiver Jameson Williams — who’s still on the non-football injury list while rehabbing a torn ACL — will not play Week 1, but the team isn’t publicly disclosing a timetable beyond that.
“We’re going to be very smart with him,” Holmes said. “He’s in a good place right now. It’s not going to be Week 1.”
“[Coach] Dan [Campbell] and I felt we were in a position to acquire a player like this and don’t need him for Day 1,” Holmes said. “It’s a long-term thing.”
During a previous report, NFL insider Tom Pelissero said it “sounds likely” that Jameson Williams will start the 2022 season on the NFI list. If that is the case, Williams will be forced to sit out a minimum of four games.
“It sounds likely that he is going to start the season on the NFI list, which would take him out at least four games,” Pelissero said on NFL Network. “Probably the most likely timeline for his return is around November. Now, I’ve also talked to people here who say he’s absolutely champing at the bit to get back in right now. He was actually standing on the field kinda tossing the ball to himself, looked like he was holding himself back from going out there and running some routes.”
Nation, when do you think we will see Jameson Williams on the field with the Detroit Lions in 2022?
