Those hoping to see the Detroit Lions’ top two draft picks compete against another team might have to wait a little bit longer.
Dan Campbell said he doesn’t plan to give any snaps to defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and interior offensive lineman Tate Ratledge in the NFL Hall of Fame game versus the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday, July 31.
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“We talked about it as a staff and it’s like, ‘Why don’t we just wait and play them in Atlanta?’” coach Dan Campbell said, referring to the Lions’ second preseason game against the Falcons on Aug. 8. “So, I think we’ll just hold tight and make sure they get plenty of reps out here.”
With Alim McNeill still recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament and Levi Onwuzurike out for the year after undergoing major knee surgery in the offseason, Williams – a first-round choice – has been working with the first-team defense. Routinely, he has squared off with Ratledge, a second-round pick who began training camp at center but has since moved to right guard.
The Lions seem to feel comfortable keeping Ratledge at that spot with veteran Graham Glasgow beside him delivering the snaps to quarterback Jared Goff.
That arrangement, Campbell said, “looked pretty damn good” during the first three practices in pads.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams (91) speaks to media members after practice during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
“I think every day that it looks pretty dang good, it gets a little clearer,” Campbell said. “And so it’s good to have (Glasgow) in there, and look, this is good for Tate, too, to get these right guard reps.”
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For Ratledge, it’s a continuation of what he did in college at Georgia, where he was a three-year starter at that position.
Detroit Lions guard Tate Ratledge (69) walks onto the field for practice during training camp at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Monday, July 21, 2025.
Other notes:
Safety Kerby Joseph, who has missed the last two practices, is dealing with some “knee irritation,” according to Campbell. “We’re hoping to get him back Saturday.
Campbell said he hopes that defensive end Josh Paschall will return to practice in early September. Earlier in camp, Campbell said Paschall would be out for the preseason after undergoing an unspecified clean-up surgery.
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions’ Tate Ratledge, Tyleik Williams to sit out Hall of Fame game