What To Expect From Jameson Williams When He Returns

Jameson Williams’ 21-day practice window was opened up last week and today we saw the first bit of video footage of him running full speed at practice. What can Lions fans expect from Williams when he returns? Let’s break down what he will likely be able to do right out of the gate.

When Can Fans Expect Williams To Return?

Jameson Williams has looked like he has wanted to step onto the field ever since the Lions drafted him in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. Ever since Week six Williams has been posting videos of himself running routes at full speed. Now that the Lions have officially opened his practice window he has been more excited than ever to take the field, and according to Dan Campbell, he has a chance to play this upcoming week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Now that Williams is running full speed at practice it’s safe to say he will be returning soon, but it’s tough to tell when exactly he will play.

If he returns against the Jaguars this week then he could bring his incredible talent to a must-win game, because if you lose this week then your playoff hopes are completely out the window. However, there is a risk in bringing him back this early. If you bring him back this early and he’s not 100% ready then he has a chance of aggravating his injury, then you don’t have him at all for the rest of the year. You also risk him not knowing the offense entirely resulting in a lot of broken plays and Williams not living up to what fans expect out of him. Where if he returns against the Vikings then he’ll have more time to learn the offense and he will then be 100% healthy, so for those reasons Week 14 is probably the ideal time for him to return.

What Can Fans Expect When He Returns?

Right off the bat, it’s probably not realistic to expect him to play like the best receiver in this class in his very first game, because like every rookie he needs to learn the speed of the NFL. However, don’t expect him to do absolutely nothing through his first few games either, because he has the talent to play like a great player right away. The thing that sets Jameson Williams above the rest in terms of immediate impact is his speed, which has been NFL level since he was recruited by Ohio State.

Jameson Williams has the potential to be one of the best receivers in the entire NFL at some point in his career, so it’s reasonable for fans to expect a lot out of him as soon as he returns, but it’s not entirely realistic. Jameson will likely only take a few weeks to adjust to the NFL, as he played against a lot of NFL talent in the SEC, and could come out the gate and put up a few big plays. He will likely bring a great deep-threat presence right away and even a guy who can make some big plays out of short throws.

So to sum it up it is reasonable for fans to expect a lot as he was easily the best receiver coming out of college in last year’s class, don’t expect Jamar Chase type production instantly. He will take a little bit to adjust to the speed of the NFL, but what you can expect out of him instantly is to bring a different aspect to this offense and will take some of the slack off Amon-Ra St. Brown. Ultimately, Jameson Williams is set up to be an absolute star for the Detroit Lions.