Mike Williams

After being out of football for two years and having ballooned up near 300 pounds, Williams got a second chance with his college coach Pete Carroll and made the most of it. At 6-5, 240, Williams looks and plays as much like a tight end as a receiver. He's neither fast, nor shifty, but he's a huge target and a matchup problem for both defensive backs and linebackers. Williams saw 17 looks from inside the red-zone but converted just two, his only scores of the regular season. Williams looked to be the team's top target for 2011, until the team brought in Sidney Rice as a free agent. With Tavaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst battling for the starting job, it may take some time for Williams to begin producing like a No. 1 receiver again. At the very least Williams has established himself as one of the team's top options heading into 2011.

Williams has been out of football for two years, but he has a couple things going for him. First, his coach is his former college coach, Pete Carroll. Second, Seattle's receivers are a weak lot. Williams looked good in minicamp and comes to training camp with a roster spot nearly assured. Where he takes it from there remains to be seen, but opportunity shouldn't be a problem. Keep him on your radar.

Williams has lost 30 pounds in the offseason and will try to save his career in Tennessee. At this point, Williams is fighting for a roster spot.

A bust in Detroit, but reunited with college coach Lane Kiffin. Williams is a huge WR with the potential to develop into a goal line threat. Questionable attitude and commitment.

Williams’ rookie season was a disappointment, to be sure – he had just two games of more than 45 yards receiving and battled foot, back and hamstring injuries. But that might have been expected considering the awful state of the Lions passing game and the fact that Williams’ was a rookie who hadn’t played football in two years. This season, Williams will battle Scottie Vines and oft-injured Charles Rogers for the starting job opposite Roy Williams, and if he prevails, there are some good reasons to roll the dice on him. Williams won’t be coming into the season cold after a year away from the game, offensive coordinator Mike Martz and the Lions’ upgrades at quarterback should improve the Lions’ passing game as a whole, and receivers typically experience significant growth in their second seasons. Williams arrived at the Lions’ spring minicamp 10 pounds lighter and in better shape than a year ago, and at 6-5, 224, the added quickness should make him even more difficult for opposing defenses to match up with.

The No. 10 overall pick in this year’s draft, Williams likely will go into the season as the Lions’ third receiver behind Roy Williams and Charles Rogers. At 6-5, 230 pounds, Williams is an absolute monster for defensive backs to match up with, and though he’s not fast, he’s got passable speed for his size. Williams is also a fluid athlete, with good body control and change of direction skills. Because Williams tried to enter the draft after 2004 and hired an agent, he was ineligible to return to USC last season, and had to sit out a year, which could make him rusty. But assuming he picks up where he left off in training camp, expect Williams to be involved in the passing game from the get go, especially if Charles Rogers gets hurt again.