Good news for a veteran NFL Tiger who is coming off a season-ending injury in 2023.
The Detroit Lions announced that DJ Reader passed his physical and was removed from the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.
The former Clemson defensive lineman missed the entire training camp while recovering from a season-ending torn quadriceps tendon he suffered last season as a member of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Although Reader is not on the PUP list and the Lions have not ruled out Reader’s return in Week 1, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Monday the team plans to have the 6-foot-3, 330-pound defensive tackle return in Week 2.
“I’d like to say we’re targeting (Week 1),” Campbell said, via the Detroit Free Press. “We’re just going to take it as it comes. We’ve always said we’re targeting Tampa long-term, but we’ll keep our eyes open and pay close attention and see how he does, how he feels and go from there if it happens sooner.”
The Lions will begin the 2024 season with a home game against the Los Angeles Rams on September 8 before playing their second game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 15 in Detroit.
Reader is entering his first season with the Lions after signing a two-year deal with the team worth up to $27.25 million. The 30-year-old spent the last four years (2020-23) with the Bengals after playing four seasons with the Houston Texans (2016-19) to begin his professional career.
Selected in the fifth round of the 2016 draft, Reader has established himself as one of the NFL’s best defensive linemen, recording 277 tackles, 23 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks since entering the league.
Last season, before suffering a torn quadriceps tendon – the same injury he suffered in 2020 – Reader performed well in 14 games, recording 34 tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, seven quarterback hits, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.
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