Lions cornerback D.J. Reed reveals the one thing he’s focused on after an injury-filled 2025 season and how he’s already succeeding at it
Detroit Lions CB D.J. Reed says one part of his game became his biggest offseason focus. Five days into training camp, it’s already making a noticeable difference.
The Detroit Lions have been searching for a true No. 1 cornerback for years. Five days into training camp, D.J. Reed looks like he might finally be that guy. The Lions cornerback has been dominant through the early portion of camp, recording two interceptions on Sunday and multiple pass breakups throughout the week. Reed appears fully healthy after a hamstring strain derailed the second half of his 2025 season, and his return to form could change the trajectory of Detroit’s secondary heading into 2026.
When the Lions signed Reed after losing Carlton Davis, it felt like an upgrade. And for the first four or five weeks of last season, he played like one. He looked like one of the best cornerbacks in the league. Then the hamstring injury hit, and when he came back weeks later, he was not the same player.
Reed will tell you that himself. Speaking at training camp on Monday, Reed said:
“I didn’t play to my standard. Just like watching the film, I just didn’t have the gear that I had before I got injured. So I just needed time to heal, to be honest with you. It was a serious hamstring strain.”
Reed overhauled his offseason routine
The work Reed put in this offseason goes beyond typical rehab. He got stem cell treatment early in the offseason and rehabs his body every day. He’s even gone as far as improving his sleep habits, admitting he wasn’t getting proper rest before. He’s focused on nutrition and what he calls his “controllables.” Reed says he feels like himself again, taking it one day at a time, staying present, and he’s excited for the 2026 season.
You can see the results on the field. On Sunday, he had two interceptions. On Monday, he broke up a potential catch from wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown off a Jared Goff throw. Last week, he had multiple pass breakups and has been sticky in coverage nonstop. It’s getting to the point where you start wondering just how good he could be.
The thing Reed feels he needs to fix the most
I was curious if there was anything Reed wanted to fix this year, something he’s really trying to make sure he’s great at. His answer was “Phase 3.” I wasn’t familiar with the term, and I think he picked up on that. Reed explained what it means to him:
“It’s winning at the point of attack. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s about. You know, Phase 1 is important. That’s at the line of scrimmage, winning the line of scrimmage. Phase 2 is important, but finishing on the ball, whether that’s getting the ball out, a pass breakup, or getting an interception. I really want to emphasize that every practice.”
You can tell Phase 3 is the thing Reed is putting above everything else. And you’ve seen some of that work come through with the two interceptions on Sunday and the pass breakups showing up every day in camp.
Reed might finally be the cornerback the Lions have been looking for. If Phase 3 is the only thing he needs to clean up this year, I think he’s going to be just fine. Talking with him, you could just tell he feels so much better about himself and where he is. Let’s see how it carries into the regular season.
That Lions cornerback room feels so much better than it did a few weeks ago when the Terrion Arnold situation was going down, and it seemed like Detroit needed help. Right now, it feels like it’s in good hands. Reed himself spoke highly of how Rock Ya-Sin, Ennis Rakestraw, and Nick Whiteside have all performed. Coach Dan Campbell has definitely noticed Whiteside’s play as well.
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