Potential worries about the Detroit Lions: Defensive newcomers with injury histories

Up next in the series of potential worries about the 2024 Detroit Lions is a more abstract concept. That’s because this one could turn out to be nothing at all, and that would be a great best-case scenario.

This one deals with the rather lengthy injury histories of a couple of critical defensive additions. In fact, both are coming off season-ending injuries that ruined their final seasons with their prior teams.

That would be EDGE Marcus Davenport and DT DJ Reader. Each represents a quite significant upgrade over the player(s) he is replacing in the Lions lineup, but it requires that they’re both healthy and stay that way. And staying on the field has been a challenge for both, especially Davenport.

The 2018 first-round pick by the Saints (while Dan Campbell and Aaron Glenn were on the coaching staff) has missed at least three games due to injury in every season but one, the 2022 campaign. That was his last year in New Orleans. Last year in Minnesota, Davenport lasted just four games before being lost for the season with a high ankle sprain.

Going back to his rookie OTAs, Davenport has missed time with:

• Broken thumb
• Broken big toe
• Lisfranc surgery
• Concussion
• Sprained shoulder
• Sprained ankle
• High ankle sprain

That’s a lengthy list for a guy who often relies on out-athleting the opponent to get to the quarterback. A healthy Davenport is exactly what this Lions defense wants aligned opposite Aidan Hutchinson, with length, power, speed, initial quickness and positional discipline. He’s been healthy this summer and looked great in team drills. Can that last?

We still haven’t seen Reader in a full-contact practice. The 30-year-old was just activated after recovering from a torn quadriceps. It’s the second time Reader has torn his quad, the prior one coming in 2020, his first year with the Bengals. Three of his first four seasons in the NFL, all with the Houston Texans, featured stints on I.R. for various injuries.

When he’s been on the field, Reader has earned the respect as one of the very best nose tackles in the league. Like Davenport, he’s physically a perfect fit for Glenn’s defense–if he’s healthy.

The Lions need them, to be blunt. The backup options, while not awful, just don’t provide the same level of impact or reliability. In the case of Davenport, his two primary backups, Josh Paschal and James Houston, each have some unfortunate injury histories of their own.

Cornerback Carlton Davis has also been in the training room a lot during his six seasons in Tampa Bay. He’s never played in more than 14 games in any season, including missing five in 2023 with various injuries (concussion, groin, toe). Davis also missed some training camp time, though he returned looking just fine. Detroit has better depth at Davis’ outside cornerback spot, but he’s the top dog and a veteran leader who makes players around him better.

Those are the three biggest veteran additions to the Lions defense. All are being counted upon to help Detroit’s D rise up the rankings and become a force of its own. If the Lions can get 15 games each out of Reader, Davenport and Davis, that’s fantastic. Alas, it might be unrealistic given their histories.