The Detroit Lions will not have two of their top three 2022 NFL draft picks on the field when they open training camp Wednesday.
The Lions placed receiver Jameson Williams on the non-football injury list and defensive lineman Josh Paschal on the physically unable to perform list Sunday.
Williams, the No. 12 overall pick of April’s draft, could miss at least the first six weeks of the season as the Lions have vowed to take things slowly in his return from the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in Alabama’s national championship game loss to Georgia in January.
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Williams did not participate in offseason workouts, and Lions coach Dan Campbell said before breaking for the summer in June he did not expect Williams to participate in the early part of camp.
“I don’t see him being ready for training camp,” Campbell said at the time. “I don’t see that. I’m very hopeful, but I don’t see it. We’re going to do this thing the right way and when he’s ready he’ll be ready. But, no, I don’t feel like you’re going to see him out there Day 1.”
Williams averaged nearly 20 yards a catch in his lone season at Alabama and adds explosive ability to the Lions’ receiving corps.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes predicted after the draft that Williams would play at some point this season, but that the Lions’ depth at receiver would allow them to bring the rookie along slowly.
The Lions return their top four receivers — Amon-Ra St. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Kalif Raymond and Quintez Cephus — from last season and signed DJ Chark in free agency.
Players on the NFI and PUP lists are eligible to come off at any time during training camp. Players who start the season on one of those lists are eligible to return in Week 7.
Paschal, the No. 46 overall pick, took part in rookie minicamp in May, but was a non-participant in practices open to the media the rest of the spring. Campbell said he was dealing with a lower-body injury related to one that kept him off the field during his final season at Kentucky.
As rookies, Campbell said, it is important both players get practice time with their new teammates and in their new systems.
“Look, we want to get him out there as fast as possible, and is it crucial? It is crucial, but not until he gets his strength up,” Campbell said of Williams last month. “He needs a lot of strength development in that body. His lower extremity, his legs, his knees, everything, so until he’s able to stabilize himself and really get some strength that we feel good about to where he can protect himself, he can protect that knee and he can compete and compete at a high level, we’re not going to put him out there.”
The Lions also placed veteran pass rusher Romeo Okwara and second-year cornerback Jerry Jacobs on the PUP list, and outside linebacker Natrez Patrick on the NFI list.
Okwara tore his left Achilles tendon in a loss to the Chicago Bears last October, while Jacobs tore his left ACL in a loss to the Denver Broncos in December.
Neither player participated in the Lions’ formal offseason program, and defensive line coach Todd Wash indicated last month Okwara might not return until later in the season.
“Whenever he gets back, we’ll put him in there, and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
The Lions did not place third-year cornerback Jeff Okudah on the PUP list Sunday. Okudah tore his Achilles tendon in last year’s season opener and was a limited participant in spring workouts.
Most veterans report for training camp Wednesday. Rookies, injured players and quarterbacks were due in town this weekend.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.