At his pro day in March, Jameson Williams said he was "ahead of schedule" in his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in the national championship. And after the Lions drafted him 12th overall in April, the electric wide receiver said he was "pushing to be ready for training camp."
With training camp about seven weeks away, Dan Campbell and the Lions have other ideas.
"We’re going to have a plan for him. That being said, I don’t see him being ready for training camp," Campbell said Thursday before Detroit's penultimate practice of mandatory minicamp. "I don’t see that. I’m very hopeful, but I don’t see it. We’re going to do this thing the right way and when he’s ready, he’ll be ready. But no, I don’t feel like you’re going to see him out there day one."
Williams has been with the Lions in Allen Park since rookie minicamp last month. He's been on the field during practices, taking notes in his No. 12 jersey, a football typically under his arm. He's eager to return to action, and the Lions are eager to give him the green light. But they won't let him run a red.
In all likelihood, Williams will begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list -- even if that means he's not quite ready by Week 1.
"Look, we want to get him out there as fast as possible," Campbell said. "And is it crucial? It is crucial. But not until he gets his strength up. He needs a lot of strength development in that body, his lower extremities, his legs, his knees, everything. Until he’s able to stabilize himself and get some strength that we feel good about to where he can protect himself, he can protect that knee and he can compete and compete at a high level, we’re not going to put him out there."
Related
The Lions will break for the summer after their final practice of minicamp next Monday. But Williams will mostly be sticking around to continue his rehab with the team's training staff.
"He’s going to be around here with us. And in the short period of time where he does go home, we know where he’s going to be and who those people are (that he'll be working with)," Campbell said.
And when he returns, the Lions will continue to proceed with caution.