As the Detroit Lions gear up for the 2022 season, wide receiver Jameson Williams will have to wait a while before he gets his taste of NFL action.
The team doesn’t want to speed up his recovery process, especially because he is nursing a torn ACL.
That’s why they are taking caution on him by placing him on the reserve list.
The #Lions are moving rookie WR Jameson Williams to the Reserve/NFI list today, per source.
This was always the plan for Williams, the first-round pick who suffered a torn ACL in January’s national championship game. The hope is he’ll be ready to play around midseason.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 23, 2022
NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero tweeted, “The #Lions are moving rookie WR Jameson Williams to the Reserve/NFI list today, per source. This was always the plan for Williams, the first-round pick who suffered a torn ACL in January’s national championship game. The hope is he’ll be ready to play around midseason.”
To avoid confusion, his injury is classified as non-football-related because he acquired it during the National Championship Game last January when he was still playing for Alabama.
Therefore, he did not acquire that injury during an NFL game.
Given that ACL injuries often take a year to heal, the midseason timeline is a proper estimate for his return.
In that case, he might take the field by late November or early December, depending on his recovery.
Taking A Flyer On Williams
Despite his injury, the Lions did not hesitate to use their 12th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft on him.
After all, he had a stellar season with the Crimson Tide, finishing with 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Those numbers were enough to make him First-Team All-SEC and First-Team All-American last year.
Williams also took home last year’s SEC Co-Special Teams Player Of the Year Award.
In that case, the Lions could also try him out as a return specialist as they ease him into his role at wide receiver.
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