Tag: Carlton Davis III

Injuries could be issue as Lions look to snap Thanksgiving losing streak

ALLEN PARK — It’s Thanksgiving week which means the Detroit Lions are cramming six days of preparation into three. 

On Thursday they will try to snap a seven-game Thanksgiving losing streak when they face the Chicago Bears (4-7). 

“Nobody likes losing, I don’t want to lose. I don’t want to lose a game, I don’t think any of us do. But it’s more so it’s about a division opponent at home, the next one in front of us, more so than we don’t want to lose the Thanksgiving game,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Monday. “We don’t want to lose, period.’’

At the same time, winning on Thanksgiving makes dinner a little tastier. That’s something that center Frank Ragnow longs for. He was drafted by the Lions in 2018 and has never won a Thanksgiving game.

“I’d really like to enjoy Thanksgiving. Usually in the past years it’s been like I don’t really want to talk to my family, all upset about everything. I’d really like to enjoy Thanksgiving and put on a show for the crowd,” Ragnow said.

“It’s such a special unique thing to Detroit, and need to capitalize on it and make it as special as it is,” Ragnow said. “I think we’ve all got that in the back of our mind.”

The coach said this week is about rest, recovery and mental work. The team had a walk-through on Monday with another planned on Tuesday.

Injuries could be an issue for Thursday after the Lions were banged up following Sunday’s 24-6 win at Indianapolis.

Campbell said decisions on some of the injured could come down to the wire. He’s most concerned about the availability of LT Taylor Decker (knee), WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (knee), Carlton Davis III (knee, thumb) and WR Kalif Raymond (foot). 

None of them would have practiced on Monday, per the estimated practice report.

RB David Montgomery (shoulder) and DT D.J. Reader (illness) also would not have practiced. 

The good injury news is that CB Terrion Arnold (groin), who didn’t play on Sunday, would have had a full practice.

Detroit Lions WR Jameson Williams earns high praise from Dan Campbell

ALLEN PARK — Jameson Williams said he is not feeling pressure entering his third season with the Detroit Lions. Maybe so but many eyes are on the wide receiver who has shown bursts in his first two seasons but hasn’t been a consistent threat.

That may be changing. Coach Dan Campbell has seen it coming for weeks of offseason work starting in April and including OTAs which began this week.

“If you said, give me one player that is the most improved from start to finish in that time, Jamo would be the guy,’’ Campbell said prior to Thursday’s OTA workout. “He’s a man on a mission and I’m going to leave it at that.’’

Williams, better known as Jamo, was a first-round pick in 2022 even though he had undergone knee surgery and wasn’t a lock to be ready for the season opener. He played in six games with one catch (a 41-yard touchdown) on nine targets.

His camp was cut short with injury last August so he couldn’t get much work in preseason games which was bad because he was suspended for breaking NFL gambling rules for the first four games. He finished last season with 24 catches for 354 yards, a pair of receiving touchdowns and a rushing TD.

Today it’s all systems go — the speedy receiver is healthy and faces no suspensions.

He said his mindset is the same but admits he’s excited about continuing to work with Jared Goff and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

“I feel like this is a huge year for the whole offense, coming off last year going to the NFC Championship and doing a lot. We’ve got a lot to prove and a long way to go,’’ Williams said.

He’s been concentrating on the details like lining up right, running the correct routes and says he has matured and learned in his first two seasons.

“It’s more of a different game. I would say coming out of college you could freestyle a little bit just line up anywhere,’’ Williams said. “In the League you’ve got to be in the perfect spot, make everything look the same type of thing. They would never know if you’re doing this or that if you always line up in the same spot, it’s just the little things.’’

He’s also learning by lining up against cornerback Carlton Davis III, a free agent in his first season with the Lions. Like Campbell, Davis sees good things in Williams.

“He has so many tools in his toolbox, he can beat you running fast, he can snap down, he’s a threat in a lot of different ways,’’ Davis said. “When you’re going up against a guy like that every day you have no choice but to get better.’’

The veteran corner said he is also making Williams better.

“I’m here to make him one of the best receivers in the League. That’s my goal,’’ Davis said.

Williams appreciates Davis too.

“It’s only been three days, going against him every single time has been good work. He’s really good on the press …’’ Williams said. “Even his feet, how he plays, his patience, the whole way he plays his game, it’s just good. I like going against him … It was good work both ways.’’

This should be the breakout year for Williams. The Lions have been patient with him along the way. 

“I think I’ve matured a lot more. Coming into the League I still had some childish ways, I wanted to do what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it,’’ Williams said. “Sometime you’ve got to listen, get on the right track and follow the right path.’’

Notes:  The Lions will hold joint practices with the Giants before the Preseason Week 1 game at the Giants on Aug. 8. Campbell loves working out with other teams: “You get something different — your O-line, D-line, receivers, DBs, the backs, tight ends, everything — you get a whole different (look).  … It sparks the system, it gives you somebody new to see and you adjust and react. That’s where I think it’s good and it breaks up a little bit of the monotony in camp from going against each other.’’

Cornerback Carlton Davis III brings experience, Super Bowl ring to Detroit Lions

ALLEN PARK — Cornerback Carlton Davis III was shocked to learn the Tampa Bay Bucs had traded him to the Detroit Lions, but along with the surprise came excitement about coming to Detroit.

Davis said after digesting the news and talking it over with his family he’s all good and excited about making the change.

“When the trade happened I was shocked but there were two sides – excitement and shock. As the days go by, I feel more comfortable and I’m putting it in God’s hands,’’ Davis said at a press conference on Wednesday at the Lions facility shortly after the start of the NFL new year at 4 p.m.

To get the 27-year-old Davis, the Lions sent three draft picks to Tampa Bay – a third-round pick in 2024 (92nd overall), a sixth-round pick in 2024 (201 overall) and a sixth-round pick in 2025. Cornerback was definitely one of the needs for the Lions.

After the Bucs drafted him in the second round in 2018 out of Auburn, he spent six seasons with them which included a Super Bowl win over the Chiefs three years ago. He’ll bring to Detroit what he learned it takes to reach the top.

“You have to be able to weather the storm, be poised in all situations. Obviously, trust your teammates, camaraderie is huge. Everybody has to do their part in the system and be able to overcome obstacles because it’s never going to be a smooth ride, you’re never going to always have it your way,’’ Davis said. “Games can go either way, the momentum always changes. You have to be resilient which this team has shown many times … It’s the small details that eventually gets you to where you want to be at.’’

Davis and the Bucs faced the Lions twice last season so he’s a bit familiar with the team, although as a corner he was concentrating more on Detroit’s offense. (The Lions won both games, including the divisional round in the playoffs)

“Usually when you’re in a tough battle, a team at some point budges, when two teams are competing really hard. They never budged, they kept the same energy and played with the same physicality on every play,’’ Davis said. “So just being an opponent you recognize those things, you respect those qualities in a team, for sure.’’

It’s early in the process but Davis said he would be interested in signing a long-term deal with the Lions. But first he wants to get his feet wet. 

As for leadership, he has a basic philosophy: “Show first, talk later.”