Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked during his weekly press conference which players he felt had stood out so far this early into OTAs.
Through two weeks, Campbell offered a few names, but two that should stand out for Lions fans are Jahmyr Gibbs and Jameson Williams. The veteran offensive duo have apparently been taking off in OTAs, showing that they're ready to get the season started off on the right foot after a disappointing end to the 2024 postseason.
Williams, who was Jared Goff's second-favorite target in 2024, has been making highlight-worthy plays throughout these offseason workouts. It seems like his switch from number nine to number one is having a big impact on him as he seeks to have an electric 2025 after a slower start to his career due to personal reasons.
Gibbs, on the other hand, is a player we could've all counted on to come in ready for OTAs. The Sonic to David Montgomery's Knuckles is leading by example for an offense that has multiple excuses available to them for taking a step back in 2025. He's already used to bearing the brunt of the load of the offense, especially after Montgomery had gone down for the year in 2024 with a knee injury.
Williams, Gibbs taking hold of the Lions offense in St. Brown's absence
Of course, these two veterans are performing at a high level amidst the absence of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Goff's favorite target. St. Brown announced after two full weeks had passed since OTAs kicked off that he would be ready for training camp, but was still recovering from a minor knee procedure to clean up some things in that area.
Without him there, it seems like Williams has been picking up the slack. You would hope to eventually see rookie Isaac TeSlaa do the same given more reps, but it's still very early in the process.
Other players that Campbell mentioned include tight end Sam LaPorta, who is looking to have another solid 2025 season, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who is bouncing back from injury to get back in the rotation for the Lions' defense.
Rakestraw, despite getting cooked by Williams in one viral clip shared by the team, still looked good in coverage against one of the better wide receivers in the NFL. That's a great sign for Detroit's secondary, which already got juiced with the addition of D.J. Reed in free agency.
