When the season began, the Detroit Lions had big plans for rookie defensive tackle Tyleik Williams. The first-round pick out of Ohio State had some intriguing traits against the run that the Lions believed they could plug into their defense right away and some pass-rushing tools that could be developed over time to become a more complete player on the defensive line.
But midway through his rookie season, things are not going to plan. Williams played just eight snaps in the Lions’ win over the Commanders in Week 10, and his playing time seems to be decreasing as Detroit gets into the second half of its schedule.
With that, many fans are starting to wonder what’s happening with Williams. While many could speculate that he has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, head coach Dan Campbell offered a blunt reality to the young lineman that his outlook is deteriorating as the Lions enter a Week 11 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Tyleik’s just a young guy continuing to get better, growing,” Campbell said on 97.1 The Ticket on Tuesday morning. “There’s a little inconsistency at times, but that’s not out of the norm. Correct it, get a little bit better, and move on. The hard thing for him, which is a good thing for all of us, is Mac (Alim McNeill) is playing good, (D.J.) Reader’s playing good, (Roy) Lopez is playing good. So like, hey, man, you got some good players in front of you right now, and so what you do is elevate his game, and then he’ll be in front of them.”
Dan Campbell Sends Clear Message About Rookie Tyleik Williams’s Playing Time
Campbell’s words weren’t exactly a condemnation of Williams’s rookie season, but it doesn’t sound like his playing time will be going up anytime soon. The Lions drafted Williams amid some uncertainty last April; however, McNeil's return from a torn ACL, combined with Lopez and Reader's performances, has put some unexpected roadblocks in the rookie's path to getting on the field.
Still, this isn’t how the Lions thought this would go. When Williams was drafted, Lions assistant general manager Ray Agnew admitted “there’s a lot more growth in this kid,” but also thought he could be an instant contributor in the Lions’ defense.
“This kid has a lot of upside,” Agnew said via Lions writer Tim Twentyman last May. “He’s got a chance to be a really, really good player for us, and we’re excited he was there for us. He’s got a chance to be a really good run player, and I think he’s underrated as a pass rusher. This kid has a chance to be a force in the middle.”
So far, neither of those things has happened. According to Pro Football Focus, Williams' 54.5 overall grade ranks 119th out of 202 interior defenders this season, while his 46.9 run defense grade comes in at a tie for 148th. The pass-rushing element also hasn’t come together with just 10 pressures on 122 snaps.
If the Lions were in a different position, they could force Williams out on the field and have him learn from his mistakes. But Detroit is currently sitting on top of the NFC North after the Green Bay Packers lost to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night and has its eyes set on a deep run into January.
It's only his rookie year, so Williams still has a lot of time to grow. But whatever expectations Lions fans and brass had for his rookie season may have to be tempered due to the veteran obstacles in front of him.