By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions looked every bit like legitimate Super Bowl contenders again after crushing the Washington Commanders 44–22 on the road in Week 10. Head coach Dan Campbell called the offensive plays from the sideline — and it showed.
Just three days later, the Lions gave their fans even more reason to smile. The team announced positive updates on defense, officially opening the 21-day practice windows for two key starters — cornerback DJ Reed and defensive end Marcus Davenport. Both were seen practicing “in a limited capacity” on Wednesday, according to NFL.com.
Reed, who had suffered a severe hamstring strain in October, originally feared his season might be over. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Now, he’s close to returning — possibly as soon as this Sunday when Detroit faces the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. If he’s not ready for that matchup, the team expects him back soon — either in Week 12 against the New York Giants or on Thanksgiving Day versus the Green Bay Packers.
Davenport, on the other hand, has been sidelined since Week 2 with a pectoral strain. His time in Detroit hasn’t been easy — last season, an elbow injury limited him to just two games. Before that, he played only four games for the Minnesota Vikings due to lingering injuries.
Once Reed is fully cleared, he’ll immediately reclaim his starting spot as the top outside cornerback on Detroit’s roster. His presence will bring much-needed stability to a secondary that’s been hit hard by injuries this season.
The Lions’ defense has had to adjust without several regulars. Terrion Arnold, their second-year defensive back, missed multiple weeks with a shoulder injury in October before returning for the last two contests. Star safety Brian Branch also sat out a game following an NFL suspension for his conduct after the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on October 13.
Despite all that, Detroit’s secondary has held its ground — ranking 12th in the league in pass defense, allowing just 199.7 passing yards per game. With Reed’s return, that number could improve even more in the coming weeks.
While Davenport’s comeback might not have the same immediate impact as Reed’s, it still matters. The Lions’ pass rush has been thin on depth, and Davenport’s presence could strengthen the rotation.
Aidan Hutchinson continues to lead Detroit’s defense with seven sacks, anchoring the front line. In Davenport’s absence, Al-Quadin Muhammad has stepped up in a big way — recording six sacks in nine games, making this the best stretch of his eight-year career.
Given Muhammad’s production, it’s unlikely the Lions will push him back to a bench role. Instead, Davenport may rotate in as a backup edge rusher, finishing out the final year of his contract once he’s healthy enough to play.
Detroit also made a smaller but important move, bringing back rookie Ahmed Hassanein to the practice squad. The sixth-round pick from April’s draft had been released earlier in the year after suffering a late-summer injury, with the team paying him an injury settlement and planning to re-sign him once recovered.
Though the Lions didn’t make any major trades before the deadline — as some fans had hoped — their defensive unit is starting to look whole again. With Reed, Davenport, and Hassanein all working their way back, Detroit’s pass rush and secondary could soon return to full strength — just in time for a crucial stretch of the season.