It took only three plays into the first team drill in the first practice of Detroit Lions training camp on Wednesday for quarterback Jared Goff to connect with wide receiver Jameson Williams for a long touchdown.
Goff and Williams have made a number of connections the first couple days of practice as Williams enters his third season in the offense with a bigger role. Williams wasn't at practice Friday for personal reasons, but over the first couple days his potential impact on the offense with increased reps has been felt.
Goff has certainly taken notice and knows Williams' speed can be a catalyst for this offense to take the next step.
"It becomes more explosive," Goff said of a Lions' offense that features Williams more in 2024. "If he can obviously stay healthy like he has been and be on the field for us the way he has early in camp, it's a whole new explosion of our offense, and he's fun to throw to.
"He's a guy that can score in one play and you've seen it quite a bit in his career. He gets the ball, he scores quite a bit, but yeah, he just continues to get better. His consistency has raised a ton, and he knows what time it is for himself and our team, has come to work really well, and he's done a good job."
Williams came on strong at the end of last year and he's going to see his snaps double this year now being the No. 2 receiver in the offense behind Amon-Ra St. Brown with the departure of Josh Reynolds in free agency.
Dating back to the spring and the offseason training program, Goff said he and Williams have gotten a ton of reps and the comfort level and chemistry between the two has really grown. He thinks he and Williams can get to a point where their comfort level on down-field throws can rival the comfort level he has with St. Brown on the short and intermediate routes.
"Of course, oh yeah. It's just reps, I've been saying that since he got here," Goff said. "It's just reps, just amount of time and a matter of time. He and I continue to get on the same page and continue to work towards that, and like I said early on in camp, he's done a great job, and we just keep on growing and improving."
If that becomes a reality, this offense could be scary good.
ROOKIES FITTING IN
Rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Detroit's top two draft picks in this year's NFL Draft, have already found a way to make an impact early in camp.
Arnold has been playing on the outside with the first-team defense since the start of camp and Rakestraw has gotten first-team reps on the inside and outside. Both players made impact plays in Thursday's practice - Arnold with a sack on a blitz and Rakestraw forcing a fumble.
"I see improvement from the spring, which is great," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Friday when asked about Arnold and Rakestraw's early development in camp. "That means that they retained what we were doing in the spring and here we are two days into training camp and, man, some of those lessons, they've learned and it's already showing up."
The first week of camp has been their second chance to get through the install and so far both players are settling in nicely. Arnold has been beat deep a couple times early on but that's not uncommon for young corners as they adjust to the speed at this level.
"They got it in the spring and now, 'Here we go.' And so, man, they retained some of those coaching points and improved on them, and so I like both of those because I love the fact that Arnold will get up there and challenge, big, physical, pretty smart guy, just time on task, he's got to learn, and Rakestraw is the same way," Campbell said.
"Rakestraw is pretty instinctive, he got our one takeaway yesterday, he got a ball on the ground, which is great. So, look, those guys are a work in progress, but after two days and a spring we like where they're at."
View photos from Day 2 of Detroit Lions training camp on Thursday July 25, 2024.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Taylor Decker (68) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (15) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone (34) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (43) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (19) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker DaRon Gilbert (53) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Dan Skipper (70), Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16), and Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jalon Calhoun (80) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sean McKeon (86) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Antoine Green (18) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) and Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (43) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Giovanni Manu (59) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold (0) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Penei Sewell (58) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions guard Netane Muti (52) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Brandon Joseph (40) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (91) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Tight Ends Coach Steve Heiden during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on July 25, 2024. (Josh Mandujano/Detroit Lions)
BACKUP QB COMPETITION
Through the first three days of training camp the Lions have rotated second-team quarterback reps between second-year player Hendon Hooker and veteran Nate Sudfeld, and according to Dan Campbell, that's going to continue.
"Yeah, and I mean, look, that's a competition," Campbell said. "It is. We like both of those guys, but there is a reason Nate's here. Nate has played before; he's got a lot of experience he's got more years and a little bit more experience."
Sudfeld was Goff's backup in 2022. He tore his ACL in training camp and lost that role to Teddy Bridgewater last season, but is looking to earn it back in 2024. Hooker, who was a third-round pick by the Lions last offseason, has a big arm and a lot of potential. It will be interesting to see that competition evolve throughout camp.
"I mean, at the end of the day, both of those guys are going to roll between the twos and threes," Campbell said. "By the time we get to the end of camp we need to know who our two is and we're not going to have our two be somebody we don't trust in the moment."
