Lions address return game - acquire Terry Williams.

[Hambone]

Seems they are willing to go all in for 2022. They've acquired Terry Williams from the Ottawa REDBLACKS for a 2023 3rd round pick and conditional pick in 2024. Williams obviously had become expendable with Devonte Dedmon's return from the NFL.

https://www.bclions.com/2022/09/04/444999/

[DanoT]

A solid acquisition, imo. Lions are in a enviable position of having a very strong group of Canadian players, both starters and backups, so trading away future draft picks is not as costly as if first might seem. And this trade certainly addresses an area of need: the kick return game.

[B.C.FAN]

That’s a good move. Williams averaged 25.4
yards on kick returns and 9.9 yards on punt returns in 9 games with Ottawa this year. No one on the Lions has put up those numbers. Loucheiz Purifoy has been their top kick returner, averaging just 20.3 yards.

[SammyGreene]

Hopefully Williams actually gets the blocking to make a difference. Another American will have to sit. Three weeks ago it was Teuhema to get Wynn to return kicks. It should be Woods with Lokombo back but who knows.

[Walt67]

The kick return game was a concern even during the creamy days with Rourke - making moves to improve it now really makes sense in what will be a very volatile second half of the season.

[Hambone]

Hopefully Williams actually gets the blocking to make a difference. Another American will have to sit. Three weeks ago it was Teuhema to get Wynn to return kicks. It should be Woods with Lokombo back but who knows.

That is the big question. I guess we'll find out if the core issue has been the blocking or how the returner uses his blockers.

It's looking like some ratio juggling will be absolutely necessary anyways as it is all but guaranteed they will not have the luxury of the 7th NAT being the QB. They will have to create another starting NAT spot at the expense of an American. In a backhanded way they gain an American depth player there.

With 2 weeks between Lokombo's return last game and the Montreal game I would expect he will be starting in his usual spot with Williams moving back to the middle. I guess other options could be for Bo to play SAM. He did play safety quite a bit in Montreal so could drop back there with Purifoy moving back to SAM while Rugamba sits and Woods (2nd leading ST tackler while adding 9 defensive tackles and 2 sacks) stays in.

Overall it would seem that Woods, Rugumba or Tuehema are most likely to pay the price to add Williams unless somebody is dealing with an injury thus making the decision for Campbell. If Lee can't go I think they still go with Cooper to backfill.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Absolutely agreed; SammyGreene and Hambone, this trade is only useful if they've determined that the issue was not ST blocking scheme. If indeed it turns out to be the issue, I can't see Terry Williams's skills making a worthwhile difference in the face of such a handicap. Boy oh boy, do I hope I'm wrong! But good on the Lions for trying something. I'll be elated if this fixes things on teams. Ready to shake my pom poms.

[Gridiron Ernie]

BTW, it will be weird to see a player not named Geroy Simon (Williams) wearing #81... I'd forgotten that the number is not retired. I don't recall any Leo using it since Geroy. Correct me if I'm mistaken.

[TheLionKing]

Now can we address the running game and coverage teams ?

[cromartie]

Hopefully Williams actually gets the blocking to make a difference. Another American will have to sit. Three weeks ago it was Teuhema to get Wynn to return kicks. It should be Woods with Lokombo back but who knows.

This. Doesn’t matter how good the returner is if the blocking stinks.

[TheLionKing]

[Gridiron Ernie]

Ah, the magic of blurred numbers... the digit 1 morphing into the digit 7... Glad Mr. Williams is now #87 --not 81. (I know I hadn't been drinking.) Of course all the numbers that really matter in this case is the blurred number of yards he zips and dances across on punt and kick returns. Go, Terry, go! And may you be blessed with some decent blocking and solid blocking schemes.

[DanoT]

I use Geroy's and Jason Claremont's jersey #s as a password; two #s that the Lions should retire.

[MacNews]

This is good news, now how about working on the run game.

[Pratzy]

Hopefully we will see more in the return game against Calgary than we did against Saskatchewan. Special teams have to become special to make up for any drop off in offense.