NFL Rookie Headlines After First Round of Minicamp

With minicamps presently underway in the NFL, here is a look at the news on a few of the rookies who have now completed their offseason.

Dan Campbell says there is no time line for Jameson Williams to return to the field

While the optimism is the highest it has been in years around the Lions, some have cause for concern regarding a press conference held by head coach Dan Campbell during minicamp. As reported by Nick Shook of NFL Media, it was said that Williams was ahead of schedule in late spring, with a return to action anticipated for August. This rivals the recent news, with Campbell saying they won't rush Williams back and are thus unsure of his timetable. While it's likely the initial reports weren't accurate, and Williams is doing just fine, we should anticipate a later rather than sooner debut for the dynamic pass-catcher. 

George Pickens steals the show at Steelers minicamp

The former national champion at Georgia, Pickens had one of the best skillsets in the 2022 draft class. Injury concerns let him drop to the second round, right to the organization that develops receivers better than any other. As Noah Strackbein of All Steelers on Sports Illustrated said, "The Steelers got themselves a star in the making with their second-round pick. If he's anywhere near as good in pads as he is in shorts and helmets, he's going to make 31 teams very upset they passed on him 51 times." Whether he will be catching passes from Kenny Pickett or Mitch Trubisky, expect Pickens to have an impact on the Steelers' offense in 2022. 

Daniel Bellinger looks to be the starter in New York

The former Aztec tight end from San Diego State was selected In the fourth round of the 2022 draft, behind a handful of others at his position. As it turns out, he may be the one starting before anyone after an impressive offseason. As CBS Sports reported, "Bellinger appears to have a slight edge heading into a training camp battle with Ricky Seals-Jones and Jordan Akins." With an almost certain workload in front of him, Bellinger may be the one standing above the rest at his position come the end of 2022. 

Jack Jones will play a significant role for the New England Patriots

Jones may be undersized at cornerback, but his skillset was unquestionable during his time in the Pac-12. It seems that has carried over to minicamp, with Mike D'Abate of Patriots Country on Sports illustrated saying, "While Jones is still far from filling the lockdown shoes vacated by J.C. Jackson earlier in the offseason, the former Arizona State Sun Devil played significant minutes with the starting defense throughout the week. The 24-year-old saw time as a perimeter cornerback and demonstrated pro-level ball skills by collecting an interception and forcing a fumble." It will be interesting to see the way an always-evolving head coach Bill Belichick deploys Jones this season. 

Boye Mafe reminds head coach Pete Carroll of Cliff Avril

The former Golden Gopher of Minnesota lit up the pre-draft process with his testing and transferable athleticism. That led the Seahawks to draft Mafe in the second round, and it seems Carroll is explaining why. "He's the closest looking fit to Cliff Avril that we've seen," Carroll said. "The explosion and the flexibility … and Cliff had a great career for us and in the league. If he can get anywhere near that, it would be a great plus for us. It looks like he's got the chance to be that kind of a player. We'll see how that goes." Seattle may find itself in a rebuild, but look for Mafe to be a pivotal part of the pass rush in 2022. 

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