The Detroit Lions secondary was already going to be a problem facing the Buffalo Bills on a short week in a road environment. However, now there is a chance that the team will be without their top cornerback and the only returning starter from the secondary last season.
D.J. Reed played every snap in Week 1, and was completely healthy on Monday without an injury designation. However, the nine-year veteran and second-year starter with the Lions was limited on Tuesday and Wednesday with a foot injury. His official injury designation on the final report before kickoff is Questionable.
Players who are listed as questionable still end up suiting up closer to 70% of the time. Still, the status of Reed will be worth monitoring.
Detroit Lions List D.J. Reed as Questionable Before Week 2
The Lions have questions throughout their secondary. Opposite Reed is Rock Ya-Sin. The journeyman veteran is only starting because the team had to release former first-round pick Terrion Arnold. Ya-Sin had a key penalty to keep the New Orleans Saints alive in Week 1.
The Lions moved on from Amik Robertson, who is with the Washington Commanders. However, in Week 1 they had Roger McCreary and Keith Abney split time in the slot. Now, they might get Christian Izien back to make the rotation even more muddied.
The Lions also had a rotation at safety. Avonte Maddox started, but missed a few snaps due to injury. Beyond that, the Lions had Thomas Harper and Chuck Clark platoon in Week 1.
Harper played 54 snaps, and Clark played 41 snaps out of 90 total snaps. Losing Reed would make things even harder to manage.
Reed Struggled in Season Opener
Unfortunately for the Lions, Reed did not have a strong debut, either. He allowed 115 yards, with 100 being surrendered to Chris Olave. Olave can do that to cornerbacks, and perhaps Reed was not quite as healthy as expected. Still, it does bring another question.
Even if Reed does suit up, he is coming off of a poor performance.
If Reed does not play, the team is likely to start former second-round pick Ennis Rakestraw. Rakestraw was a healthy scratch in Week 1, but he does not provide special teams value, which Khalil Dorsey does.
With the team rotating in the slot, they needed to keep two players at that spot. So, the numbers had to squeeze Rakestraw out.
If Reed is out, he would be the inactive cornerback; Rakestraw would take his role, and all of the other cornerbacks would stay in the spots they had in Week 1.
Despite the injury and being shorthanded, Dan Campbell said he does not expect the team to make a move outside of the roster in the secondary. However, the injury update on Reed is not going to quiet Joey Porter Jr. trade rumors.
Lions Get Concerning D.J. Reed Update Before Week 2