Lions OTAs: Jameson Williams sick about gambling suspension, Tracy Walker returns – The Athletic

ALLEN PARK, Mich. After an offseason full of notable free-agent signings and surprise draft picks, the Lions gathered together for Day 3 of OTAs this time, with an audience on hand.

Thursdays session was open to local media. There were plenty of new faces working to earn jobs and their place on this team. But it was also a good reminder of the reinforcements the Lions have on the way who werent able to contribute to last years success. Theres a lot of buzz around this team right now, in part because the roster is the deepest it has been since Dan Campbell and company arrived in 2021. At the same time, he knows that integrating pieces new and old will be a challenge itself.

Right now, everything is about the work, and it will be when we get into training camp, Campbell said. Weve got a brand-new team that weve got to build from the ground up again. Yeah, weve got a foundation, but yeah, man, weve got to get the chemistry right, weve got a lot of new faces. And all of that other stuff wont matter if we dont put the work back in. So that, to me, is the focus.

Thats what this time is about.

Much of the offseason has been good news for the Lions, between keeping Ben Johnson, the moves made in free agency, the draft and the overall outlook for the team in 2023. However, Jameson Williams looming absence remains large.

Williams was suspended six games last month for violating the NFLs gambling policy. Williams placed a bet on a non-NFL game from an NFL facility which includes the practice facility, as well as hotels, planes and buses on road trips. Williams, speaking to reporters for the first time since his suspension, said he was not aware of the leagues rule that bans such activity, but owned up to his mistake. He spoke for roughly 10 minutes and answered every question asked of him.

I was sick, Williams said of his reaction to the news. I was hurt.

A couple of notes:

Williams said he didnt know where he was when he placed the bet that ultimately led to his suspension.

Williams said he found out about his suspension the night before the announcement.

When asked about the NFL, which partners with gambling companies, suspending him for gambling on non-NFL games, Williams said: Thats really not my decision. Im in the league to play football, not make the rules on gambling.

Williams said hes using this time to focus on his craft and fixing the little things with his game before his suspension begins in September.

There is no appeal process for Williams suspension, so this time with the team is important. Williams, recovering from a torn ACL last May, couldnt practice a year ago. Thursday, he was out there running around, showing off that signature speed on a few downfield shots, providing glimpses of why the Lions drafted him in the 2022 first round. That game-breaking speed is very much present, but because of the time missed, it has become secondary to everything else. The Lions would love nothing more than for the Williams narrative to shift back to his skill set.

Look, he knows, Campbell said. I mean, hes gotten it from everybody. And so, look, it happened. Its an emphasis in the league right now. Its a big thing. Our players know. Weve tried to hammer it home. Certainly we did after that point and a few more times and well just keep doing it. But listen, its happening. The suspension is happening, and so now what do we do to move forward? Youre not going to be here, so in the meantime, lets get the most work we can out of you.

Every now and then late last year, you could find Tracy Walker hobbling around on crutches and a boot in the Lions locker room.

Players would gravitate to Walker, especially the younger ones. Walker was Detroits defensive captain and, at the time of his injury, one of its few vocal leaders. His absence was felt on the field and in the facility. For Walker, meanwhile, those random appearances in the locker room had to have been therapeutic, perhapsreminding him what he was working toward, and how much he wanted to be back.

Walker said then hed be back in time for OTAs. Along the way, he posted videos of his rehab process and on-field work, all with a May return in mind.

In the end, he kept his word.

Im built different, Walker said after Thursdays practice. I stand on that. I know Im not built like nobody else. I live by it in everything I do, from how I work, how I grind and obviously my injuries. Ive never been hurt before, so for me to bounce back, that was the main thing I had on my mind.

Walker didnt participate in everything Thursday, heading to the sidelines during scrimmage periods, but he did pretty much everything else for which he was cleared. The fact that hes out there at all seven months after a torn Achilles is a testament to his work ethic. Walker said he felt for his teammates during a five-game losing streak that dropped them to 1-6. But he also didnt get to contribute to the 8-2 stretch to end the year the very reason expectations are high right now. Thats why Walker is so eager to get back to work. Last year was Walkers first winning season in the NFL and he missed the majority of it.

Hes expecting to be fully cleared by the start of training camp. Hes a projected starter in a revamped secondary, one thats closer in talent to the group with which he entered the league.

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There was a moment last year, as he recovered from back surgery that kept him out of action in 2022, when Halapoulivaati Vaitai considered retirement.

It didnt last long, though. Too much time on his hands.

It was just a bunch of stuff to do, Vaitai said. Im like, What am I doing? I couldnt decide what to do. The only thing I know is football.

Vaitai, the Lions starting right guard, said being away from the team was eating him alive. He was having a great training camp before going down. The Lions scrambled to replace him, playing center Evan Brown at guard and living with the results. But Vaitais return could be the missing piece for an already strong offensive line.

Vaitai practiced Thursday and said he feels great. Hes expected to maintain his starting job at right guard. The Lions will be smart with him during this period, but when training camp starts, theyll turn things up. This staff still values what he brings to the table in terms of run-blocking and mentorship to younger guys like Penei Sewell. Vaitai, meanwhile, wasnt quite ready to let go of this game and leave what has been building in Detroit.

I cant leave Penei, I cant leave all my guys, I cant leave them, Vaitai said. I love this team a lot and I want to help Dan win one.

The Lions began practice splitting up team reps on the two fields. It looked like ones versus ones on one field. I watched the defense Thursday and made note of the first team: Aidan Hutchinson and Charles Harris on the edge, Alim McNeill and Christian Covington at defensive tackle, Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes at linebacker, Will Harris at nickel, Jerry Jacobs and Cam Sutton at outside corner and Kerby Joseph and C.J. Gardner-Johnson at safety.

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The first rotation of linebackers featured Anzalone at Mike and Barnes at Will. The Lions rotated quite a bit, with Jack Campbell and Malcolm Rodriguez getting first-team reps, too, so its probably not worth reading too much into. Anzalone is capable of playing the middle or weakside linebacker role, so this was probably a case of the Lions splitting the work up. Campbell has to earn the starting job, but it feels like itll be his before its all said and done.

Speaking of Campbell, he was part of an impressive play Thursday, but not for the reasons youd think. During a scrimmage period, running back Jermar Jefferson caught a pass, made a man miss then sprinted toward the end zone. A solid play, but the more impressive part of the play was Campbell chasing him down, when every other defender gave up and prepared for the next snap, all the way to the end zone. Toward the end of the run, Campbell was nearly stride for stride with Jefferson, who couldnt help but laugh when he saw Campbell that far downfield with him. The takeaway: Campbells long speed is impressive for a guy his size. So, too, is the max effort he gives each rep.

McNeill looked noticeably trimmer and lighter on his feet, which was one of his offseason goals. He changed his diet, improved his flexibility and took a more professional approach entering his third year in the league. He wants to be more consistent and prove the flashes of dominance he showed at times (like the Giants game) could become the norm. Once thought of as a nose tackle, the Lions let McNeill play more three-technique as the year went on. Expect that to continue.

Speaking of defensive tackles, Levi Onwuzurike was spotted at practice, though he was unable to participate. He was in uniform but no helmet. A back injury wiped out Onwuzurikes second year in 2022, and updates on his progress have been few and far between. Perhaps Thursdays appearance is a sliver of hope.

Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, whos still recovering from a torn ACL, did some individual work without a helmet. Thats a good sign. Jacobs and Sutton handled first-team reps at corner.

Center Frank Ragnow, guard Jonah Jackson, and defensive tackles Isaiah Buggs and Benito Jones were among the players not spotted at Thursdays OTA session.

The Lions traded a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick to the Jaguars for kicker Riley Patterson. Patterson was a starting kicker for the Lions in 2021 before losing a battle to Austin Seibert in the preseason last year. Patterson connected on 30-of-35 attempts with Jacksonville last season. Seibert was waived by the Lions in October. The Lions now have Patterson, Michael Badgley and former XFL kicker John Parker Romo in the mix at kicker.

(Photo of Jameson Williams: Paul Sancya / Associated Press)

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Lions OTAs: Jameson Williams sick about gambling suspension, Tracy Walker returns - The Athletic