Cardinals’ Ryan Williams: ‘I’m almost back’

More than 15,000 fans flooded to FanFest at University of
Phoenix Stadium in Glendale Wednesday night to get the
first public glimpse of the 2012 Arizona Cardinals.

One of the more promising things they saw was second-year
running back Ryan Williams participating in 11-on-11
drills for the first time since suffering a torn right
patellar tendon and meniscus in a preseason game against
Green Bay last August.

Williams was encouraged about his progress.

“I’m almost back, I’m almost back,” he said. “Three
months left and I’ll be there.”

Williams wasn’t the only one who was encouraged. Add head
coach Ken Whisenhunt to that category.

“He looked good,” Whisenhunt said following the practice.
“You forget his quickness, his vision and to see him to
that tonight…there’s always a little trepidation going
into this thing when you’re coming back from a knee in
your first action like that.

“So it was good to get it out of the way, it’s out of his
head. He looked good.”

Williams, who suffered the injury at Lambeau Field on what
was only his 5th carry of the preseason, pushed himself on
Wednesday night, and was pleased with the results.

“You know, I haven’t run that fast since I got hurt,” he
said. “I haven’t done anything that fast, even though it
was only three plays — they kind of sprinkled me in there
— but I haven’t done anything at that pace since I got
hurt. It felt good.”

Arizona Sports’ Craig Grialou contributed to this
report

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