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Lions coach Rod Marinelli stood in front of a team meeting Tuesday and delivered a message: "I don't want you to be late, and I don't want you to be overweight."
"And he looked right at me," Mike Williams said.
Marinelli opened a voluntary three-day minicamp -- his first interaction with essentially a full squad -- stressing good fundamentals and habits. He stressed them to everyone, but to some more than others.
Williams and Charles Rogers are under the microscope. Both are recent top-10 picks (Rogers went second overall in 2003; Williams went 10th last year). Both are wide receivers. Both have lacked good fundamentals and habits.
And both say they are getting the message and looking forward to the future.
Williams had problems with punctuality in training camp and conditioning during the season last year. He said he weighed as much as 239 pounds.
He knows Marinelli won't put up with tardiness, and he knows offensive coordinator Mike Martz's system is too demanding for him to be too heavy.
"Obviously, with the guys he's had in the past, 230 doesn't really fit the bill," Williams said. "I'm right around that now, but I'm still going to go down."
Williams said he wanted to be between 220 and 225.
"I've got some bets going on," he said. "Everyone thinks it'll be 225, but who knows? I just know that you've got to be in shape and you've got to be able to run just as fast on Play 1 as you can on Play 60. ...
"Anywhere in 220 to 225 is where I'm going to be and where I'm going to stay, because if I'm going to get to where I want to be, I've got to be in great shape."
Rogers, who missed almost all of his first two seasons because of broken collarbones, served a four-game suspension for substance abuse last season. He didn't dress for three games afterward because the coaches weren't happy with him.
Asked if a clean slate came with the new staff, he said: "It should be that way, but we'll just see what happens."
He said he hadn't heard anything negative about his work ethic from the coaches. He said he had gone from 212 pounds to 204 himself.
"We've got a good staff on board," he said. "Everybody feels like they're buying into the system, buying into what they're trying to do. All we've got to do is get on the same page. It'll probably take a little time, but I think it'll come through."
Williams said the coaches had made it clear it was their way or the highway. He said there was "no. B.S." with Marinelli.
"If he doesn't see what he likes, he's going to let me know, and that's how it should be," he said. "I think there was a lot of leeway last year, not only with me and the things I didn't do, but with a lot of guys. There's a different group here, and it's not going to be tolerated. ... It's a brotherhood, and we're going to go by the fastest and the strongest, and whoever is not up to that pace, they're going to get rid of in one way or another. I think everybody gets the message, and the ones that don't get the message will weed themselves out."
NOTEBOOK: Williams said the quarterbacks were playing pick-up basketball with the receivers and the players were hanging out in the coaches' offices. "Last year it wasn't like that," he said. "They've got to kick us out of here now, compared to last year. Some guys weren't even taking showers. They were just throwing on clothes and running up out of here." (Yes, the Lions literally stunk.) "It's a whole different atmosphere, and it's exciting, and we'll just see where we can take it."... Running back Kevin Jones said Tuesday's practice was "intense" and had "good tempo." Then he added this: "I think we're already ahead of where we were last year." Last year in April? "No," he said. "Last year in general. I just think the whole building is different. I'm happy with the staff, happy with the new additions we got. Everything's looking good right now. We've just got to stay focused through this whole off-season."...
Marinelli said he was pleased with the players' desire but still wanted a faster pace and more precision. "I want a glittering display of execution every day," he said. "That's what I'm looking for. Every day. And if it's not, I'm not happy."...
Three players were notably absent: defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson, who is pondering retirement; offensive tackle Jeff Backus, who hasn't signed his franchise tender; and linebacker Boss Bailey, who had an ankle injury at the end of last season. Marinelli said Wilkinson was at home. Asked if Wilkinson had made a decision on his future, he said: "I can't answer that." Marinelli said Backus, who had ankle surgery in January, was still rehabbing, anyway. As for Bailey, he said: "I know where he's at, and that's where I'll leave it. He's just getting some things checked out, so we're fine." ...
The Lions have re-signed center Brock Gutierrez, safety Vernon Fox, linebacker Nate Wayne and guard Tyrone Hopson, all free agents. Safety Terrence Holt said he had agreed to a one-year deal.
Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA at 313-222-8831 or [email protected].
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Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc.
Use of this site indicates your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, updated 9/21/05.
Lions coach Rod Marinelli stood in front of a team meeting Tuesday and delivered a message: "I don't want you to be late, and I don't want you to be overweight."
"And he looked right at me," Mike Williams said.
Marinelli opened a voluntary three-day minicamp -- his first interaction with essentially a full squad -- stressing good fundamentals and habits. He stressed them to everyone, but to some more than others.
Williams and Charles Rogers are under the microscope. Both are recent top-10 picks (Rogers went second overall in 2003; Williams went 10th last year). Both are wide receivers. Both have lacked good fundamentals and habits.
And both say they are getting the message and looking forward to the future.
Williams had problems with punctuality in training camp and conditioning during the season last year. He said he weighed as much as 239 pounds.
He knows Marinelli won't put up with tardiness, and he knows offensive coordinator Mike Martz's system is too demanding for him to be too heavy.
"Obviously, with the guys he's had in the past, 230 doesn't really fit the bill," Williams said. "I'm right around that now, but I'm still going to go down."
Williams said he wanted to be between 220 and 225.
"I've got some bets going on," he said. "Everyone thinks it'll be 225, but who knows? I just know that you've got to be in shape and you've got to be able to run just as fast on Play 1 as you can on Play 60. ...
"Anywhere in 220 to 225 is where I'm going to be and where I'm going to stay, because if I'm going to get to where I want to be, I've got to be in great shape."
Rogers, who missed almost all of his first two seasons because of broken collarbones, served a four-game suspension for substance abuse last season. He didn't dress for three games afterward because the coaches weren't happy with him.
Asked if a clean slate came with the new staff, he said: "It should be that way, but we'll just see what happens."
He said he hadn't heard anything negative about his work ethic from the coaches. He said he had gone from 212 pounds to 204 himself.
"We've got a good staff on board," he said. "Everybody feels like they're buying into the system, buying into what they're trying to do. All we've got to do is get on the same page. It'll probably take a little time, but I think it'll come through."
Williams said the coaches had made it clear it was their way or the highway. He said there was "no. B.S." with Marinelli.
"If he doesn't see what he likes, he's going to let me know, and that's how it should be," he said. "I think there was a lot of leeway last year, not only with me and the things I didn't do, but with a lot of guys. There's a different group here, and it's not going to be tolerated. ... It's a brotherhood, and we're going to go by the fastest and the strongest, and whoever is not up to that pace, they're going to get rid of in one way or another. I think everybody gets the message, and the ones that don't get the message will weed themselves out."
NOTEBOOK: Williams said the quarterbacks were playing pick-up basketball with the receivers and the players were hanging out in the coaches' offices. "Last year it wasn't like that," he said. "They've got to kick us out of here now, compared to last year. Some guys weren't even taking showers. They were just throwing on clothes and running up out of here." (Yes, the Lions literally stunk.) "It's a whole different atmosphere, and it's exciting, and we'll just see where we can take it."... Running back Kevin Jones said Tuesday's practice was "intense" and had "good tempo." Then he added this: "I think we're already ahead of where we were last year." Last year in April? "No," he said. "Last year in general. I just think the whole building is different. I'm happy with the staff, happy with the new additions we got. Everything's looking good right now. We've just got to stay focused through this whole off-season."...
Marinelli said he was pleased with the players' desire but still wanted a faster pace and more precision. "I want a glittering display of execution every day," he said. "That's what I'm looking for. Every day. And if it's not, I'm not happy."...
Three players were notably absent: defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson, who is pondering retirement; offensive tackle Jeff Backus, who hasn't signed his franchise tender; and linebacker Boss Bailey, who had an ankle injury at the end of last season. Marinelli said Wilkinson was at home. Asked if Wilkinson had made a decision on his future, he said: "I can't answer that." Marinelli said Backus, who had ankle surgery in January, was still rehabbing, anyway. As for Bailey, he said: "I know where he's at, and that's where I'll leave it. He's just getting some things checked out, so we're fine." ...
The Lions have re-signed center Brock Gutierrez, safety Vernon Fox, linebacker Nate Wayne and guard Tyrone Hopson, all free agents. Safety Terrence Holt said he had agreed to a one-year deal.
Contact NICHOLAS J. COTSONIKA at 313-222-8831 or [email protected].
Email this
Print this
Copyright © 2006 Detroit Free Press Inc.
Use of this site indicates your agreement to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, updated 9/21/05.
