Here are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
Cleveland Browns
Detroit Lions
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks
Washington Commanders
Here are the first minor transactions of October:
Detroit Lions
Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Chargers
Miami Dolphins
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
The Lions will have to go at least the next four games without starting cornerback D.J. Reed. The team placed Reed on injured reserve on Wednesday. While Reed will not require surgery on his strained hamstring (via Eric Woodyard of ESPN), he won’t be eligible to return until Nov. 9 against the Commanders.
Considering Reed was carted off the field in the Lions’ win over the Browns last Sunday, his IR placement doesn’t come as a surprise. Nevertheless, it’s an unwelcome development for Detroit, which added the former Seahawk, 49er, and Jet on a three-year, $48MM contract in free agency last March. Injury aside, the investment has looked good so far.
During his first four games as a Lion, Reed played over 88 percent of defensive snaps and helped the team to a 3-1 start. Along with leading all Lions corners in playing time, Reed posted 16 tackles, four passes defensed, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus ranks his early season performance 28th among 164 qualifying corners.
Before Reed went down, the Lions had been set to reduce fellow outside corner Terrion Arnold‘s usage. Arnold then joined Reed in suffering an injury last week, though he was able to practice on a limited basis Wednesday despite a shoulder issue (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). Arnold, Amik Robertson, Khalil Dorsey, and Rock Ya-Sin will now have to pick up the slack in Reed’s absence.
The Lions’ schedule over the next few weeks looks like a mixed bag. Their Reed-less secondary will take on Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning on Sunday, but they’ll have to contend with the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield in the two weeks after that. After a bye, the Lions will face the division-rival Vikings and either J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz on Nov. 2.
Earlier this week, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Alim McNeill was on track to return to practice. The fifth-year defensive tackle is indeed back on the field. 
McNeill returned to practice today, as noted by Justin Rogers of the Detroit Football Network. As a result, his 21-day activation window has now opened. McNeill was one of three Lions players moved to the reserve/PUP list during roster cutdowns, ensuring at least a four-week absence.
That decision came as little surprise since the 25-year-old was in the midst of rehabbing the ACL tear which ended his 2024 season. McNeill has made solid progress in recovery, though, and today’s news marks another encouraging update in this case. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes it would come as a surprise if a return to game action were to take place this week, but McNeill could be available before the Lions’ Week 8 bye.
“We want to make sure that we check all those boxes before we say that’s what we’re going to do for sure, but it’s trending in the right way,” Campbell said (via Birkett) of McNeill shortly before today’s return to practice. “He’s about ready to go. I think he’s tired of training. He’s trained all he can train. He’s done everything he can do, he just needs football.”
Having McNeill back in the fold soon will be critical for Detroit’s defensive front. The former third-round pick has established himself as a key figure along the D-line, totaling 8.5 sacks over the past two years despite missing time in both campaigns. McNeill inked a four-year, $97MM extension shortly before tearing his ACL, a sign of his value to the franchise and also a clear indicator the Lions will look to play it safe regarding his return.
Detroit is without Levi Onwuzurike for the season after he suffered an ACL tear of his own in July. With the Lions already thin along the defensive interior as a result, McNeill being activated will provide them with a major boost in the form of a starter to share time with veteran D.J. Reader and first-round rookie Tyleik Williams. Provided McNiell does not suffer any setbacks, he should be in the fold shortly for a Lions team which has enjoyed a 3-1 start to the campaign.
Today’s practice squad moves:
Arizona Cardinals
Baltimore Ravens
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Jacksonville Jaguars
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New York Jets
Philadelphia Eagles
Seattle Seahawks
The 2024 offseason brought a change in how teams could construct their 53-man rosters while retaining flexibility with injured players. Clubs were permitted to attach return designations to two players (in total) placed on IR or an NFI list before setting their initial rosters.
In prior years, anyone placed on IR before a team set its initial 53-man roster could not be activated in-season. All August 26 IR- or NFI-return designations, however, already count against teams’ regular-season limit of eight. Teams will be tasked with determining which players injured in-season will factor into activation puzzles as the year progresses.
All players designated for return on August 26 are eligible to be activated beginning in Week 5, though any player placed on IR after a team set its initial 53 has not been designated for return and therefore does not yet count toward a club’s eight-activation limit. Playoff teams will receive two additional injury activations at that point.
Here is how the 32 teams’ activation puzzles look for Week 5:
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Designated for return:
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 8
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Activations remaining: 8
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 6
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Eligible for activation:
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Activations remaining: 8
Designated for return (Aug. 26):
Activations remaining: 7
Activations remaining: 8
The Lions saw cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed suffer injuries yesterday. The former does not appear to be in line for an extended absence, but the latter could find himself on injured reserve.
Arnold suffered a shoulder injury on Sunday, although head coach Dan Campbell said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network) he does not anticipate a lengthy spell on the sidelines. That will be welcomed news even with Arnold’s struggles early this season and the resultant plan to lower his playing time. Such a setup may need to be put on hold for now.
Reed was carted off the field with a hamstring injury. Based on Campbell’s post-game remarks, Rapoport notes a move to IR could be in store in this case. That would ensure at least a four-week absence for Reed; it would also leave Detroit without a perimeter starter for an extended period.
During the offseason, the Lions expectedly lost Carlton Davis on the open market. Detroit took the free agent route to bring in Reed on a pact similar in length and value (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis landed with the Patriots. Arnold and fellow returnee Amik Robertson have been key figures in the secondary to date, and that will of course remain the case moving forward. Still, losing Reed for any notable period will mark a blow to Detroit’s secondary.
The 28-year-old has served as a full-time starter with his newest team, collecting four pass deflections early on. Reed also notched his first interception of the season shortly before suffering the injury. Further testing in his case will be worth watching closely, as it will inform the Lions’ decision with respect to an IR move taking place or being avoided.
The plan for reducing Arnold’s usage was aimed at giving Robertson more time on the boundary as opposed to the slot. If Reed winds up missing considerable game action, Robertson may be forced to handle a full-time role on the perimeter opposite Arnold (presuming, of course, he does not wind up being sidelined for an extended period). In any case, defensive adjustments will likely be necessary as the Lions look to build off their strong start.
Here are Saturday’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:
Buffalo Bills
Carolina Panthers
Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
Jacksonville Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Chargers
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers
San Francisco 49ers
Tennessee Titans
Washington Commanders
With Colts cornerback Kenny Moore presumed to potentially miss a few weeks, the recent signee, Hilton, will get his opportunity to supplement the team’s secondary. He may be able to earn an official spot on the 53-man roster with an impactful game. Similarly, Cropper may be able to get into his first NFL game since going undrafted in 2023 as he gets elevated to a receiving corps that will sorely miss CeeDee Lamb.
Morris is getting called up for the third time for Jacksonville. If the Jaguars intend for him to appear in another game after this week, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster.
The Lions are planning to decrease Terrion Arnold‘s role with the second-year cornerback struggling to contain opposing receivers to start the year. 
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said on Thursday (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press) that veteran Amik Robertson would take on a higher snap share at outside cornerback with Arnold seeing a commensurate decrease in his workload.
Robertson primarily aligned as a nickel corner in 2024 and led the team in slot snaps, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Lions’ heavy use of base personnel on defense has limited Robertson’s role this year, per Birkett, and the team wants to get him on the field for more plays.
Sheppard said that the cornerback change “has nothing to do with [Arnold’s] play or performance,” but it’s hard to deny that the 2024 first-rounder has taken a step back from his rookie year. In 2024, he allowed a 55.6% completion rate and 7.3 yards per target; those numbers have jumped to 72.6% and 11.0 this year, respectively. He also leads all NFL cornerbacks in yards allowed, per PFF.
The 2025 offseason saw Carlton Davis depart on the open market. D.J. Reed was brought in as a replacement, and the eighth-year veteran inked a similar contract (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis took in New England. Reed has operated as a full-time perimeter starter so far with Detroit; that can certainly be expected to continue moving forward. 2024 second-rounder Ennis Rakestraw, meanwhile, is out for the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.
Arnold’s rookie contract runs through 2027. The 22-year-old’s tenure in the Motor City could continue beyond that point with his fifth-year option being picked up and/or a long-term extension being finalized. Neither of those can take place until after the 2026 season, so the Lions have plenty of time before needing to make a decision on Arnold’s future with the team. For now, it will be interesting to see how this change in workload will affect Detroit’s secondary.
Adam La Rose contributed to this post.
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad transactions:
Baltimore Ravens
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans
Minnesota Vikings
New England Patriots
New Orleans Saints
New York Giants
New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks