Legendary Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders speaks to the media at camp
Legendary Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders is excited to be back in training camp ahead of another big season.
With DJ Reader off the physically unable to perform list, the Detroit Lions will now see if they have their biggest free agent signing of the offseason ready for Week 1.
The Lions announced Sunday that Reader passed the physical and was removed from the PUP list, two days before NFL teams must reduce their rosters to 53 players.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said last week he expected Reader to return to practice this week and participate in individual drills.
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Reader tore his right quadriceps tendon in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in December and has not practiced with the Lions this summer. Last week, he worked out with trainers on a side field and said at a back-to-school event hosted by his foundation, A Son Never Forgets, that he has a similar timeline for returning to play as he did when he tore his quadriceps in 2020.
Reader played in Week 1 of the 2021 season, but said he “didn’t really get going until the beginning or middle of camp” this summer.
When asked how likely it was that he would be able to play in the Lions’ opener on Sept. 8 against the Los Angeles Rams, Reader said, “It’s just one of those things. I work on it every day to see where I’m at, and you land where your feet land. I haven’t put the pads on like the others, so I’m not there yet.”
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The 30-year-old Reader is considered one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL when it comes to stopping runs and joins a Lions team that finished second in the NFL rush defense rating last season with 88.8 yards per game.
Once healthy, he’s expected to start on a line that also includes Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeill and Marcus Davenport, and last week he acknowledged that helping the Lions win in January and February was more important than being on the field in Week 1.
“That’s what you really want to experience then, but you have to get there,” he said. “You have to make sure you take care of what’s in front of you, so we just have to do a few things to get to work.”
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