Mike Williams and Matt Jones on opposite routes

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Lions' Williams, Jags' Jones on opposite routes

By Adam Schefter

Special to NFL.com

(June 7, 2006) -- For now, the Lions are as down on former first-round draft pick Mike Williams as their fans have been on the franchise in recent seasons.

Williams is running with Detroit's third group of wide receivers -- and there are no indications he is going to be moving up the Detroit depth chart anytime soon, even though the receiver was back at practice today.

The Lions have made the decision that, until Williams demonstrates a noticeable change in his behavior -- and few in the organization are expecting anything to be any different any time soon -- he will not be contributing to the franchise.

While the rest of the Lions franchise has taken to new head coach Rod Marinelli's demanding methods, Williams has not. Lions officials believe Williams has not worked hard, has not been accountable, has not carried himself the way a first-round pick or any NFL player should.

The team even has looked into the cost of ridding itself of Williams, but realized it cannot. If the Lions were to cut or trade Williams, they would be hit with a whopping $12 million salary-cap charge.

This means the Lions are stuck with Williams, who has been nursing a strained hamstring for the past two months. These types of struggles are nothing new for Williams in Detroit. Last year, he was fined for being overweight and late to meetings.

Unless Williams changes his attitude, his name will be expected to pop up often on the inactive list this season. It's rather ironic, too. For one year, after he left USC, Williams was the man without a team. Now that he has a team, the team is willing to move forward without him.

While Williams seemingly has been one of the lone Lions dissenters to the new regime, his counterparts Roy Williams and Eddie Drummond have wowed the organization. Roy Williams has grasped the Lions offense quickly, and has demonstrated the speed and strength that has left Detroit's new coaches in awe. Drummond also has impressed his coaches enough to take over some of Mike Williams' playing time.

The Lions have options at receiver. But right now, Mike Williams is not one.

THE NEW BIG MAN IN J-VILLE

With Jimmy Smith retired, the Jaguars need one of their wide receivers to become the go-to guy.

So far, Matt Jones has.

Matt Jones has earned his franchise's respect and Byron Leftwich's trust.

Even though the team has not been practicing in pads, Jones has been one of the stars of Jacksonville's offseason. He has lined up in Smith's spot, performed the way the organization would like, and made the Jaguars believe Jones is going to come through like the first-round pick he was.

In other words, this spring Jones has been the anti-Mike-Williams.

Jaguars officials said Jones feels considerably more comfortable in Jacksonville's offense, at the position he was switched to last year.

Plus, Jones already struck up a rapport with Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich last season. When Leftwich exited the lineup with an injury, Jones' production dropped.

With Leftwich back, and with Smith retired, Jones is looking at putting up some numbers as impressive as the ones he posted at the scouting combine in Indianapolis, where he ran himself into the first round of the draft.

SEATTLE'S SLASH

The Seattle Seahawks would like to try to get more playing time for Seneca Wallace. But how and where?

The Seahawks could use Wallace at wide receiver, quarterback and return man. But wherever they decide to use him, the message coming out of Seattle is that the team would like to get Wallace the ball.

So Wallace could turn into Seattle's slash. The team's concern is it doesn't want to expose its backup quarterback too much. Should the team land a veteran quarterback before training camp, then Wallace's role really could increase. But for now, it's merely a subject of discussion.

DONOVAN'S HELPERS

Once the Eagles traded Terrell Owens, Philadelphia's most experienced receiver became Todd Pinkston -- and he's coming off a ruptured Achilles' tendon.

Pinkston has been only a limited participant in the team's offseason drills. But Eagles officials believe Pinkston will be back full time once training camp begins.

The team is going to need him. If the season started today, Philadelphia's starting wide receivers would be Greg Lewis and Reggie Brown.

Pinkston's presence would bring a bit more peace of mind to quarterback Donovan McNabb, but it's interesting how the team has decided to forego acquiring an experienced, productive receiver in the hope that some of the team's holdovers can come through and produce.

HE'S A SEVEN

Here are some magic numbers:

In April, the Chiefs drafted UCLA safety Jarrad Page in the seventh round, with the 228th overall pick.

Then on June 6, the Los Angeles Angels drafted Page in the seventh round, with the 222nd overall selection.

Hey, it's a numbers game.

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Psh, and nobody hear cares.

I admit I didn't think either of them would be **** in the NFL other then #3 WR's. Looks like I was right with Williams, very wrong with Jones. He's really impressive.

Good call on that one GJ&H with Jones!

[StillerPaul]

Psh, and nobody hear cares.

I admit I didn't think either of them would be **** in the NFL other then #3 WR's. Looks like I was right with Williams, very wrong with Jones. He's really impressive.

Good call on that one GJ&H with Jones!

I thought Williams would be a very good pro WR. He still may turn out to be. Detroit has no right to complain IMO. They are the ones who drafted a WR in the first round 3 straight years.