One of the more intriguing players to come into the NFL in the last few years is set to return on Sunday for the first time in over a year.

Tampa Bay running back Cadillac Williams, with one of the most colorful nicknames in all of sports (his real first name is Carnell), is on the verge of completing a comeback from a patella tendon tear that has kept him off the field since the fourth game of last season. He has been activated by the Buccaneers and could play Sunday against Minnesota.

While his recovery has been a long one, there was some thought that he wouldn't be ready to play until 2009.

Williams, a first-round draft pick in 2005, looked like a candidate for Canton in his first three games rushing for 148, 128 and 158 yards. But after that, he had just five more 100-yard performances in his next 29 games. Some of that can be attributed to playing with a not-very-good team at the time and some to injury.

But it was the patella tendon tear that threatened his chances to ever be the running back that he was when he came storming out of Auburn and into the NFL and so it will interesting to see the degree to which Williams is able to return to form.