Dan Campbell Says Lions Defensive Backs Are Improving to Cover Reed's Absence

The Detroit Lions head into their road game against the Miami Dolphins with a depleted roster, officially ruling out three key players for today’s contest.

Center Cade Mays, cornerback D.J. Reed, and edge rusher DJ Wonnum were all confirmed as inactive following Friday’s injury reports.

The absence of Cade Mays forces a change on the interior of the offensive line. Veteran Juice Scruggs will step into the starting center role, marking his sixth start of the season. Scruggs initially held the position while Mays recovered from a wrist injury sustained during training camp, and the team maintains confidence in his performance level heading into this matchup.

The secondary faces a different challenge with D.J. Reed sidelined. Reed has helped the Lions win three consecutive games, allowing only 41 receiving yards in his coverage. To replace him, the team moved defensive back Nick Whiteside from the practice squad to the active roster.

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Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed a measured optimism regarding the defensive back room’s ability to cover for Reed’s absence. Speaking on Friday, Campbell highlighted the collective progress of players like Chuck Clark, Brian Branch, Keith Abney II, and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

As far as the good news is, man, we have got a pretty steady room that is improving of defensive backs. Rock (Ya-Sin) looks healthy and is playing good football. (Roger) McCreary. So, I just feel like these guys are starting to play pretty good football for us. And (Khalil) Dorsey, man, Dorsey’s contributing in a big way. So, I like where we’re at and it’s really a pretty – depth-wise, it’s a pretty strong room. So yeah, I don’t like the thought of not having Reed, but at the same time, I’m encouraged. I think we’ll be OK here.

The defensive front also sees personnel shifts. With DJ Wonnum out due to a concussion, rookie edge rusher Derrick Moore is expected to see an increased workload. The team is also looking to Tyler Lacy and Eric O’Neill to help fill the void on the edge. To ensure adequate numbers, the Lions have activated edge rusher Anthony Lucas from the practice squad.

In addition to Mays, Reed, and Wonnum, the Lions have confirmed their full list of inactive players for today’s game in Miami. The list includes:

Cade Mays (Center)
D.J. Reed (Cornerback)
DJ Wonnum (Edge Rusher)
Saylors (Running Back)
Jackson Meeks (Tight End)
Mekhi Wingo (Defensive Lineman)
Ahmed Hassanein (Edge Rusher)

These personnel decisions come as Detroit attempts to maintain the momentum of their current winning streak. The reliance on depth players and practice squad elevations will test the team’s structural integrity against a Dolphins squad looking to exploit these specific lineup vacancies. Whether the defensive rotation and Scruggs’ return to the center position provide the necessary stability remains the primary question as kickoff approaches.