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Michael Williams, who began his Lions career as a tight end, was the top right tackle during practice Tuesday -- just one season after moving to the position.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

ALLEN PARK -- We've heard all kinds of stories about how difficult it is to learn this offense. To learn its nuances. Its terminology.

Things were so messed up in the middle of last season, the Detroit Lions actually had to pare down the call sheet for a couple weeks to get everyone on the same page.

Imagine how difficult this all must have been. And now imagine how difficult this all must have been while also learning a new position .

Welcome to Michael Williams' life.

"I remember how out of place I felt," said Williams, who moved from tight end to offensive tackle last offseason. "But now I feel like I'm at the right position. I feel like I'm in place. I feel like I'm impressing coaches, and impressing myself."

That, he is.

LaAdrian Waddle is still working his way back from a torn ACL, which means Cornelius Lucas is Detroit's top right tackle. But Lucas suffered an injury of his own, and is not expected to practice during this week's mandatory minicamp.

With those guys out, Williams found himself working as the first-team right tackle during the first day of minicamp Tuesday -- just one year after transitioning to the position. He'll likely remain there for all three practices this week, too, earning valuable reps that could help him make the team during training camp in August.

"It's a big deal for me," said Williams, who spent last season on the practice squad. "The more reps you get, the better you are. I'm more of a learn-as-I-play type of person, so the more reps I get, the better I learn."

Williams became an excellent blocking tight end at Alabama, where he won a national championship, and was selected by the Lions in the seventh round of the 2013 draft. But Williams suffered a hand injury early in his rookie season, and went on injured reserve without ever appearing in a game.

Then as he neared a return last offseason, Detroit proceeded to sign tight end Brandon Pettigrew to a $16 million deal and drafted Eric Ebron with the 10th overall pick.

With Joseph Fauria coming off a seven-touchdown season, it seemed Williams was suddenly squeezed out of the position. So coach Jim Caldwell and his staff asked Williams to make the move to offensive tackle.

Williams had never played the position, but knew it was his best shot to stick and rolled with it.

"I knew nothing about it," he said, "but I like to call myself a football player. You tell me what to do, and it might take me a day or two, or a week or two, or a year, and I'll get it sooner or later."

Williams has worked diligently to learn the position, including studying tape from every practice to identify his weaknesses. He's worked his way up to 304 pounds. And 13 months later, he can finally say he knows how to play offensive tackle.

And his coaches are noticing.

"He has really come along, I think, in terms of making the adjustment from a guy that was kind of on the edge to a guy that's in the thick of it all," Caldwell said. "His size, I think, is something that's unnatural for (tight end). I believe he was trying to control his weight, because he's a 300-pound tight end. You don't see very 300-pound tight ends in this league.

"So this is natural for him, I think. He's coming along and making good progress. It's not an easy position to learn. It's a very, very tough adjustment, but he's taken it on and doing quite well with it."

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