Former Alabama Crimson Tide star receiver Jameson Williams suffered a setback when he tore his ACL during the 2021 College Football Playoff championship game. But he was still a first-round pick by the Detroit Lions, and it sounds like his recovery is going according to plan.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes gave an update on Williams’ status heading into 2022. While the rookie receiver will open the season on the non-football injury list and miss at least the first four games of the season, Holmes said Williams is “on track.”
“He is on track, again, I’m not going to put out a hard date, but I will say, the weeks and weeks he’s strung together with his rehab, and he’s so gifted from a genetic standpoint,” Holmes said according to MLive. “Once he keeps that consistency going, it actually could accelerate that return that we’re thinking.”
Holmes also made it clear that the team is in no rush, calling Williams “a long-term investment.”
“You got to be a little bit conservative and on the safer side when it comes to forecasts and those returns to play. But hopefully, he stays on track, and hopefully it’s sooner than later, but we’re going to continue to be smart with him. We’ve always said that from Day 1. I know he’s chomping out the bit, I mean he’ll put on a helmet right now and go out there. He would jog a slant route if he could, but he — I mean — but we’ve got to be smart because we didn’t make that move for him just for Year 1. This is a long-term investment.”
While the Lions won’t have Williams for their season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, they hope he will be available at some point this season.
[MLive]
