Lions Place Four Players on Injury Lists Ahead of Training Camp

Branch, Reader among players to begin camp on PUP list.

Lions safety Brian Branch. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions have placed four players on injury lists ahead of the start of training camp.

Defensive back Brian Branch, defensive tackle DJ Reader and outside linebacker Marcus Davenport will begin the year on the Physically Unable to Perform list, while offensive lineman Giovanni Manu was placed on the Active/Non-Football Injury list.

Lions' fourth-year coach Dan Campbell hinted that Reader would not be ready for the start of training camp during the final session of organized team activities in the spring. The veteran, who was acquired by the team in free agency, is coming off a torn quadriceps injury suffered late in the year while playing for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Davenport is rehabbing an ankle injury that held him out of all but four games last season, which he played for the Minnesota Vikings. He signed a one-year deal with the Lions this offseason.

Branch was another player who missed all of the spring workouts while recovering from an offseason cleanup procedure he had done on his ankle. Campbell was optimistic during the spring that Branch would be available at some point in training camp.

Manu, meanwhile, was an active participant throughout the spring after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. A developmental tackle, he'll be tasked with adjusting to the game after playing collegiately in Canada.

The Lions will conduct their first practice open to the media on Wednesday. Rookies reported to the team's Allen Park facility on Saturday, while veterans are due to report Tuesday.