Rookies, quarterbacks and injured players reported to training camp over the weekend and full squad workouts for the Detroit Lions begin Wednesday in Allen Park. A few key veterans won't be on the field with their teammates as they begin camp on the Active/Physically Unable to Perform list.
Defensive lineman DJ Reader, edge rusher Marcus Davenport and defensive back Brian Branch will all start camp on the PUP list. Additionally rookie offensive lineman Giovanni Manu will also start camp sidelined as he's been placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list.
Reader, who is coming off a torn quadriceps tendon suffered last year playing in Cincinnati, was expected to start camp on PUP after missing all of the offseason training program rehabbing the injury.
"Yeah, I would say Reader would be the one who – he'll be a decision on at what point is he ready to start practicing. But that's not something that we're caught off guard by," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said in early June. "We knew this would take a minute here."
Reader, 30, has been one of the league's most productive interior defenders over the last eight seasons and is expected to play a big role along the interior of Detroit's defensive line alongside fellow veteran Alim McNeill when he returns. Reader has been terrific against the run throughout his career and can also provide some disruption in the passing game. Though he only has 9.5 career sacks through eight seasons, he's produced at least 32 pressures in each of the last three seasons.
Davenport, 27, was also a big free-agent addition upfront for Detroit's defense this offseason and is expected to play a key role on the edge opposite Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson. He's been rehabbing an ankle injury all spring that forced him to miss 13 games playing for the Minnesota Vikings last year.
Branch had some cleanup work done this offseason on an ankle injury and missed all of the offseason program workouts. Campbell said this spring Branch was progressing well in his rehab and could be back sometime during camp, and was expected to be back in plenty of time to get ready for the regular season.
He totaled 74 tackles (50 solo), 13 passes defended and seven tackles for loss as a rookie in 2023. He also ranked second among all rookies with three interceptions, one of which he returned for a 50-yard touchdown.
Manu, a developmental tackle out of the University of British Columbia, took part in the offseason training program and is working to earn a backup tackle role when he returns to the field.
"It'll be enough to where they're going to get a really good amount of training camp work," Campbell said in June about all the current injured players outside of Reader. "There's nobody that I'm alarmed by. I would say Reader is probably the one that's going to take a minute."
