Could Detroit Lions' Antwione Williams start at linebacker? Antwione Williams is competing for a starting job at outside linebacker as he enters his second NFL season

Dave Birkett | Detroit Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Lions' Haloti Ngata cleared, ready to play in 2017 season Lions defensive tackle Haloti Ngata said he decided to play in 2017 only after cleared by a neorologist. By Dave Birkett, DFP.

If there was a bright side to the injury woes that engulfed the Detroit Lions' linebacking corps last year, it was that Antwione Williams got more experience than anyone expected.

A fifth-round pick out of Georgia Southern, Williams started the second game of his NFL career and two more last season. He was the team's No. 3 linebacker for a good chunk of the year.

Instead of watching and learning and playing on special teams, as most expected, Williams went through a trial by fire that could help him emerge as a starter this fall.

The Lions drafted Jarrad Davis in the first round to be their starting middle linebacker, and Lions coach Jim Caldwell confirmed last week that Tahir Whitehead, last year's starting middle linebacker, will move to the weak side.

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Jalen Reeves-Maybin, the Lions' fourth-round pick, is best suited as a weak-side linebacker, and Paul Worrilow, who the Lions signed in free agency, has said he's most comfortable playing the middle and weak-side positions.

While the strong-side linebacker in the Lions' defense plays only about a third of the snaps, Williams has the size (6-foot-3, 240 pounds) and experience to handle the position.

Last year, he made 27 tackles in 14 games and learned all three spots in the middle of the Lions defense.

Caldwell told reporters last week that he expects Williams to take another step forward this fall, and with two weeks left in the off-season program, Williams has a chance to enter training camp as the Lions' starting strong-side linebacker.

"He’s got size and bulk and speed and he’s getting better in terms of understanding conceptually what we’re trying to get done from a defensive standpoint," Caldwell said. "The arrow is pointing up for him, but the good thing about it is we have really good competition at that position. I think that’s what makes for better opportunity for us to get the best possible people we can playing there on a consistent basis for us. He’s one of those guys and thus far he’s doing all right."

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

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