The Lions placed D.J. Reed on injured reserve Wednesday with what Reed said was a Grade 2/3 hamstring strain.
D.J. Reed feared the worst when he tumbled to the ground, clutching at his hamstring early in the fourth quarter of last week's win over the Cleveland Browns.
"I thought I tore it off the bone," Reed told the Free Press. "I thought it was a wrap. But that’s not the case, thank God."
Reed did not practice Wednesday and will not play in Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals after the Detroit Lions placed him on injured reserve.
He said doctors diagnosed him with a Grade 2/3 hamstring strain, but he does not need surgery and plans to play again at some point after the Lions' Week 8 bye.
"We don’t have a timetable of like when I’m going to be back, but yeah, I strained it pretty bad," Reed said. "I don’t need surgery so just got to rehab it."
Reed said he was "sore as hell" as he walked gingerly through the locker room Wednesday, three days after he was carted off the field with his injury.
He was hurt while chasing Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy on a pass downfield and said he didn't realize he tried to break up the pass after grabbing at his hamstring.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said that play exemplified why the Lions pursued Reed in free agency this offseason, that for Reed, making a play for his teammates "is more important than his own body."
"He's a stud. He’s a pro’s pro." Lions secondary coach Deshea Townsend said. "You can tell why he’s been in the league and successful so long. That’s just the way he carries himself. He comes to work every day, he’s the same and he wants that challenge of playing man. That’s who he is and in this building you know that’s what we’re going to do, We’re going to line up and play man, we’re going to stop the run and we’re going to try to make you win on the outside. He is that to a tee."
Reed will miss a minimum of four games on IR, meaning the earliest he could return is Week 10 against the Washington Commanders. He said he feels "real fortunate" he avoided a more serious injury and won't rush his return to the field.
"God got me, I’m going to be straight," he said. "Just got to rehab. Yeah, I’m gonna be good."
The Lions also signed safety Loren Strickland and linebacker Ty Summers from the practice squad to the 53-man roster and added cornerbacks Tre Flowers and Nick Whiteside to practice squad.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: D.J. Reed injury update: Detroit Lions place CB on injured reserve
Category: Football
