Lions' D.J. Reed lands on the IR - when is the earliest he can return?

Eager Detroit Lions fans have been waiting to hear the latest update on starting cornerback D.J. Reed's injury. The latest update wasn't what they wanted to hear.

The Lions announced on Wednesday that Reed will be placed on the Injured Reserve. Reed suffered a hamstring injury during the fourth quarter of the Lions' 34-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns this past Sunday. This injury came not long after Reed intercepted his first pass as a member of the Lions, setting them up for a goal-to-go position, which the Lions converted to bring the lead to 17-7.

Reed going on the IR is not an unexpected move, but given the varying degrees of hamstring injuries, there were hopes Reed could only miss one or two games. Now on the IR, Reed will miss a minimum of four games.

For fans wondering if the bye week counts for those games, the answer is no. Reed has to miss four games, which means the earliest he'll be able to return is Week 10 versus the Washington Commanders on November 9th. When he returns, Reed will likely see a replenished defense with the impending return of defensive tackle Alim McNiell, whose practice clock has just begun.

To supplement moving Reed to the IR, the Lions added veteran CB Tre Flowers and Nick Whiteside to their practice squad. Flowers has played 95 games across seven seasons in the NFL, notably with the Cincinnati Bengals, where he played in their Super Bowl LVI loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Michigan-born and Saginaw Valley State alumni Whiteside has only played in two NFL games, both in 2023 with the Commanders.

Lions do get good news on Terrion Arnold

Reed wasn't the only starting CB who was injured on Sunday. Terrion Arnold left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. Head coach Dan Campbell was non-committal about Arnold's injury status after the game, only suggesting that it was better than Reed's and that he may not miss much time.

On Wednesday, Arnold was listed as a limited participant in practice, which is a sigh of relief for a depleted secondary. Especially with safety Kerby Joseph being listed as a non-participant in the same practice report with a knee injury.

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Reed was the Lions' biggest free agent signing this past offseason as the team attempted to solidify their CB unit to complement their elite safeties. With Reed out, the team's depth will be tested. Having Arnold back, and given the opportunity to grow, should help limit the damage while Reed is gone.

Arnold, if he plays, will have his work cut out for him on Sunday. Despite the Cincinnati Bengals' struggles on offense, wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are still among the most talented at their position. After that, it's match-ups against the Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Minnesota Vikings, before Reed is eligible to return; each has a passing game that will pose a challenge.

The Lions are not expected to make a splashy move to replace Reed, again trusting their depth on defense. Thankfully, Reed's injury is not a season-ender, and Arnold looks like he won't miss time. These next few weeks will be a great opportunity for Arnold to justify why the Lions picked him in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.