Lions Remove Star Defender From PUP List Ahead of Season Start

Just before the start of the new NFL season, the Detroit Lions have taken star defender D.J. Reader off the Active/PUP list. Reader was on the active/physically unable to perform list after tearing his quadriceps tendon in Week 15 last season.

Reader spent the last four seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, becoming a dominant presence along their defensive line. When Reader was on the field, the Bengals’ run defense became one of the strongest in the league.

However, injuries dictated his time with Cincinnati. In his first season with the Bengals, he missed multiple games after suffering a quad injury.

Reader helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl in 2021, showing off his dominance along the defensive front. He put up 43 total tackles and two sacks on the year for Cincinnati.

Before his season-ending injury last season, Reader posted 34 total tackles and one sack. His injury history and being a little older of a player gave the Bengals caution to re-sign him, ultimately allowing the Lions to swoop in to grab him.

While Reader’s statistics aren’t eye-popping, his presence alone makes him an asset. Opposing offenses consistently put him in a double-team and his big body makes it tough for teams to run the football.

Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo was a fan of Reader and was sad to see him go. He spoke about the pure impact that the former Clemson product brings to a defense.

“You can’t look at D.J. Reader in that position and say let me look at his numbers. Even though he has good numbers for the position, he is just dominant when it comes to taking on blocks, taking on double teams and not getting moved. And that allows other people to make plays, and when you don’t have that, it creates other issues.”

Now in Detroit, Reader will try to help take another young team to the Super Bowl. The Lions are expected to be one of the better teams in the NFL this season and Reader only helps bolster an already strong defense.

His status for Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams remains in question but Reader will have a few weeks of practice time to ramp things up. If he can give it a go, Detroit could be cautious with his snap count early on. But for now, this activation is incredible news for the Lions just before the season starts.

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