Allen Park — The Lions are not concerned about the long-term status of cornerback D.J. Reed after a groin injury kept him off the practice field for two days this past week.
Reed, the top starter in Detroit’s cornerback room and the most important healthy piece on the roster right now, was absent for practices on Thursday and Friday after a rep toward the end of Tuesday’s practice had him coming up gingerly.
“That’s not a major thing. His is really more kind of a groin,” coach Dan Campbell said Sunday. “So that’s not a major issue. We feel good about that. When he’s ready, he’ll be ready to go.”
Reed received a three-year, $48 million contract during the 2025 offseason. It was expected that he would be able to help shore up the Lions’ yearly cornerback struggles, and at first, that was indeed the case. Reed was excellent before suffering a hamstring injury in Week 4 that cost him to miss six starts.
The news on his injury comes as a relief to the Lions, who were already stretched thin at the position following the release of former first-round cornerback Terrion Arnold in June.
Here are some more injury updates from Campbell’s Sunday press conference:
▶ OL Ben Bartch: Bartch has been dealing with a foot injury that ended his 2025 season and has prevented him from participating in any team periods to this point in Lions camp. Bartch has participated in walk-throughs but has yet to see the field during live reps. While Campbell hopes that can change on Sunday, he admitted he would have liked to see more of Bartch during the early stages of camp.
“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t hopeful he would’ve been out there more,” Campbell said. “But I also know there’s no setbacks, anything like that, and he’s a veteran guy. From what we know about him in the short time that we’ve been around him, he’s a guy that you know it means something to him.
“He’s smart, he’s conscientious, all those things. We’re gonna get him out there a little bit today; we’re hoping we get him about 10 reps, maybe somewhere in there. So, that’s the plan is to begin to work him into some stuff here.”
After Christian Mahogany took the early lead in his starting battle at left guard against Juice Scruggs, who was acquired by Detroit via trade this past offseason, Bartch could add some spice to the competition.
“Look, there’s a reason (Bartch is) here. We think he brings outstanding competition. He’s got a shot. But certainly, he’s behind the mark,” Campbell said. “He’s missed some days, and that’s just the part of coming off an injury. That’s the hand you’re dealt.”
▶ Edge Payton Turner: Turner, a free-agent acquisition in March, has yet to practice since injuring his back on Day 1 of camp. Campbell said he’s day-to-day.
“Nothing new, really,” Campbell said when asked for an update. “He’s got a back that we’re just trying to get to calm down, and that’s a day-to-day type thing.”
The Lions moved quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to the reserve/retired list after Campbell announced Bridgewater is stepping away from the game on Sunday. Detroit also waived tight end Nick Muse, who was signed to the roster in camp.
With two roster spots open, Detroit signed linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga and cornerback Ryan Cooper.
Ogbongbemiga, 27, has 72 career appearances under his belt, including 25 for the Chicago Bears over the last two seasons, with three career starts. Ogbongbemiga, who has just 226 career snaps on defense, will likely compete for a depth role and on special teams.
The Lions went back to a familiar well to sign Cooper, scooping him up out of the United Football League, the same place they found cornerback Nick Whiteside, who’s had an extremely strong start to camp. Cooper has spent time with the Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets but has yet to take an NFL snap.
Cooper played nine games for the Birmingham Stallions in 2026. He finished with 25 combined tackles, including one for loss, and one interception.
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Lions not concerned about cornerback D.J. Reed’s groin injury
Discover more from NAIRAVOICE.COM.NG
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
