Randle El on Jameson Williams: 'It's about Building Him Up'
While many outside observers may not be completely satisfied with how rookie wideout Jameson Williams has been used by the Detroit Lions, the coaching staff is continuing to develop its top draft pick in a controlled manner.
The team is not simply just going to hand over the offense to a player that has only been fully practicing for less than two months.
Williams has not been targeted much since his NFL debut, but the work is still taking place behind the scenes.
Both Williams and quarterback Jared Goff spend extra time during practice working on their timing and their chemistry.
Detroit wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El, speaking with reporters on Friday, expressed satisfaction with the progress the 21-year-old rookie has made through the first four games of his career.
More: Lions Encouraging Jared Goff to Throw It Deep More Often
"You see a guy, a kid that's eager to play. You got to continue to pull him back and show him the vision and get him to see what what we have for him," said Randle El. "We don't want to have him just out there. He's got to be hitting his targets, being in his spots. And, he's been doing that. He's been coming along really, really well. And, I'm excited for what we've done so far with him being out there.
"A lot of people may say, 'That's not been much', but we know the process that it takes," Randle El continued. "Like this is not, 'I'm just coming off an injury, give me 50 plays.' It doesn't work like that, because you won't have him when you really need him. So, it's about building him up. That he has confidence not just in going out to run the routes, but making those plays and even confidence and trust in us. So, we're going to do what's right for him, that's for sure."
This offseason will certainly be key for Williams, as he is expected to take a significant step forward heading into his second NFL season.
His first full offseason training should go a long way in ensuring he meets his potential and works his way up the depth chart quickly.
"They (the receivers on the roster) fly out, they get with Jared and they work. They work and work. That's the type of stuff that he missed out on," Randle El said. "So, that's what he's got to get back at to be able to do it, as it relates to working with the quarterback. Now, the weight training stuff, all that stuff is going to come for sure. He's got some core stuff I feel like he needs to work on just because he's just so, so fast. How do you control it? But, that's what it's going to take in the offseason."
