Tyleik Williams and Tate Ratledge sat out last week’s preseason opener with the rest of the Detroit Lions starters, but coach Dan Campbell said he’s leaning toward playing both rookies in Friday’s second exhibition game against the Atlanta Falcons.
“I’m thinking about that,” Campbell said before practice Wednesday at Lions headquarters in Allen Park. “I would like to get them going this game but I’m not 100% set on that yet.”
Williams and Ratledge, the Lions’ top two picks in April’s NFL draft, have taken first-team reps all summer at defensive tackle and on the offensive line respectively, and are expected to be in the starting lineup when the Lions open the regular season Sept. 7 against the Green Bay Packers.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (91) warms up ahead of the Hall of Fame Game at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Ratledge opened training camp at center before moving to left guard, while Williams is expected to play alongside DJ Reader, Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport on the defensive front.
Williams, the No. 28 overall pick, is coming off one of his most disruptive practices of summer on Monday, when the Lions did a lot of first-team offense vs. first-team defense work.
“What we saw on his college tape is really showing up here and that’s his ability to play, to really get knock-back into the backfield, kind of recreate the line of scrimmage,” Campbell said. “He’s got a good shock and shed.
Sometimes a little too good. He’ll jump out of a gap if you’re not careful so we’re trying to just stay on him with that. And then he can get an edge. His rush, he can get an edge. He’s trending the right way, he’s growing. We just got to get him in better shape and that’ll come there again with reps.”
If Williams and Ratledge see the field, Campbell said that does not mean most other starters will be in the lineup, too. Already, he said backup quarterback Hendon Hooker will start against the Falcons, and Jared Goff, Aidan Hutchinson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and most other starters are not expected to play this preseason.
Rookie wide receiver Dominic Lovett could miss a week or two after leaving practice Monday to be evaluated for an abdominal injury, and Campbell said defensive lineman Pat O’Connor (leg) and offensive tackle Jamarco Jones (ankle) likely will miss a week or so with their injuries.
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