Notebook: Williams, Arnold Begging for Return Opportunities

Lions have pair of players hoping to contribute in return game.

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9). / Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kalif Raymond has unfortunately been sidelined and placed on the injured reserve list due to a foot injury suffered against the Indianapolis Colts.

As a result, the Lions are in the market for a new contributor on their kick and punt return units.

Maurice Alexander held that role during the annual Thanksgiving Day Classic, but was waived to make room on the active roster for a trio of defensive additions. Against the Green Bay Packers, the team could be searching for a new option to handle punt and kickoff returns.

Amon-Ra St. Brown handled the punt return duties in the emergency situation after Raymond's injury against Indianapolis.

Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp told reporters this week two players in particular, Jameson Williams and Terrion Arnold, have been lobbying to get action in that role since Raymond's injury.

Leading up to the game against the Bears, Williams admitted that he did ask to return punts following the injury.

“I did in the game (against the Colts). I did in the game," Williams said last week. "But I think we’ve got other plans, someone else will be back there.” 

On Monday, Fipp acknowledged that both Williams and Arnold have vocalized their desire to contribute in the return game. Williams has experience from his time at Alabama, having returned 10 kicks for a total of 352 yards and two touchdowns during his season with the Crimson Tide.

While Fipp appreciates their desire, he wouldn't go as far as declaring that they would get these opportunities.

“So, the one thing I will – I’ll just tell you, the one thing I love, there’s two guys on this team that will beg to be back there all the time and I respect the heck out of them for it," Fipp said. "But it’s Terrion Arnold, he wants to go back there and touch the ball, and (Jameson Williams) Jamo, they want to go back there and touch the ball. I love it, it doesn’t mean they’re going to get that, but I love the fact that they want to do it because there are some other players that probably are hoping that their number’s not called, it’s just the reality of it."

Fipp likened the two players' desire to contribute to that of a pair of former top returners in Darren Sproles and DeSean Jackson. Both players were strong contributors for their respective offenses, while also being threats each time they touched the ball in the return game.

"But you want guys who want to touch the ball, I mean, that’s how Darren Sproles was, that’s how DeSean Jackson was," Fipp said. "I mean, those guys wanted to be back there, they wanted to touch the ball and they wanted to make a difference in the game, and they knew that it was an opportunity to do it."

Ben Johnson: Offense will make 'necessary adjustment' after calls leaked

The Lions had a situation arise over the weekend when a photo of practice squad running back Jermar Jefferson with a list of terminology on a whiteboard behind him hit social media.

After Campbell put any concerns to rest during his weekly interview with 97.1 The Ticket, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson poked fun at the idea of the team purposefully leaking it. Additionally, he explained that teams can identify plays through tendencies, but they must still stop whatever is being run.

MORE: Dan Campbell Says Lions Won't Lose Because of Code Words

“Have you guys thought about maybe we wanted them out there? So now we know what they know. No, listen, each week we try to keep guys off balance, teams off balance, opponents off balance," Johnson said. "We certainly don’t want them to know when a play is coming, but you look back at the first time we played the Packers this year, third-and-5, it was our first third down of the game. We made a check and you can see (Packers defensive tackle) Kenny Clark giving that signal right there, which is usually universal for run. Well we ran it, and we got nine yards.

"Even if teams know what’s coming, it’s still challenging to stop us," Johnson explained further. "That’s the mentality we take. We don’t usually use those code words at the line of scrimmage a ton, but we’ll make any necessary adjustment we need to.” 

Johnson grinned and said, "We'll see," when asked by Lions OnSI if the team would continue to use a specific call, 'Khloe Kardashian' as part of the offensive pacakge.

Challenge of slowing Packers' run game

In Thursday's game, the Lions' defense will be tasked with slowing down Green Bay's potent run game led by Josh Jacobs. A prized free agent in the offseason, Jacobs has run for 987 yards which ranks third in the entire league.

Jacobs' ability to run compliments an offense full of talented skill position players perfectly, as he's able to power through contact as well as make defenders miss in the open field.

As a result, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn understands that his group will be tested and must key on slowing the run game amidst a number of injuries.

“Big, powerful, hard to tackle, run after contact, and I said this the first time that we played them, is when you have a running back of that nature, it changes the mindset of the O-line," Glenn said. "So now the O-line knows that we have this physical runner, so now that turns into a more physical offensive line and all they have to do is show him, give him a little crease, and they know that he’s going to make three yards out of nothing.

"Most of those three yards end up getting to be six and seven yards and he’s going to break a tackle," Glenn continued. "So, I think he fits that scheme perfectly and he’s doing a hell of a job as far as complementing the whole offense which allows now the vertical passing game to show up.”

Numbers revealed for defensive additions

With the Lions' four new defensive players officially participating in practice, each has had their respective jersey numbers revealed. Here are the numbers each of Detroit's three active roster additions, as well as practice squad addition Jamal Adams, will wear moving forward:

Myles Adams -- 66
Kwon Alexander -- 10
Jonah Williams -- 78
Jamal Adams -- 25