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Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams had a difficult first week at training camp, struggling on the field and losing his cool with a teammate.
Though the start of the second week was better for the second-year receiver, who is already facing increased scrutiny for his six-game gambling suspension, he again showed difficulties with catching the ball. As SI.com’s John Maakaron reported, Williams’ performance on August 2 was part of an up-and-down start to training camp for the second-year wide receiver.
Jameson Williams Running Hot and Cold
As Maakaron reported on Wednesday, Williams struggled through the first week of training camp but appeared to start out on a better note on the eighth day.
“Jameson Williams rebounded from a subpar practice and took advantage of his opportunities, during a practice with much less defensive intensity and pressure,” Maakaron wrote. “While he did fail to secure a tougher catch from Nate Sudfeld that he had his hands on, the second-year wideout was the target of a deep bomb from Jared Goff during 7-on-7 drills, easily flying past Cam Sutton.”
Maakaron added that Williams was relegated to the second unit for the ninth day, which did not get off to a good start as he struggled again to make catches with no defense.
“Williams did start the day rough with two more drops against air,” Maakaron wrote.
Williams has already attracted attention for his struggles at training camp, which included a heated exchange with a rookie teammate. Kyle Meinke, Lions beat reporter for MLive.com, noted that Williams had an all-around difficult day on July 31 that included more dropped balls before he lashed out at cornerback Starling Thomas in frustration.
“Rough start for Jameson Williams in his first padded practice of the summer,” Meinke tweeted. “Dropped two balls against air, then went 0-3 during red zone one-on-ones and took a swat at the head of UDFA Starling Thomas.”
Lions Coach Addresses Struggles With Drops
Lions head coach Dan Campbell spoke out about Williams’ difficulties in catching the ball, telling reporters on August 2 that the receiver has been working on the issues.
“(The drops) show up and that’s something we’ve talked about with him and he knows that, too,” Campbell said, via the Detroit Free Press. “I think, man, working his hand mechanics. He’s got to work those pre-practice, he’s got to work them post-practice. And I mean, really, he’s just got to grind on it, and even then it’s not — it’ll never be probably be like one of these elite pass-catchers that you’ve seen, but it’ll be just fine with his speed and what he’s able to do.”
Williams had challenges in his injury-shortened rookie year, with three drops and just one catch in six games. He has been working closely with wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, and Campbell said he believes Williams can work through the issues with enough time and attention to detail.
“There’s a number of things he can clean up with it and I think it’s just, man, time on task, work through it, because honestly there are some things that — just the simple change of the way your hands are by ball location, pinkie to pinkie, thumb to thumb, that’ll go a long way for him,” Campbell said. “And so, we just got to keep working through it. We just got to keep working through it.”
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