The Detroit Lions suffered some noteworthy losses in the 2025 NFL offseason, as both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn took head coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively, while poaching many of Dan Campbell's most trusted assistants.
The Lions are still very much in championship or bust mode, as exemplified by the signing of veteran cornerback DJ Reed to improve the defense.
Reed has wasted no time trying to assert himself as a vocal leader who keeps Campbell's crew on the path to success. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN during a visit he took to Lions camp, Reed is making sure that everyone on this defense is well aware of the fact that this unit will only thrive if they're following the ethos Campbell wants instilled.
"Our head coach sets the tone for that, makes that an emphasis," Reed said. "He just said before we broke the huddle, 'The cream is going to rise to the top.' If you're not a guy that likes to hit, you don't like being physical, you're going to go to the bottom, and everybody is going to be able to tell."
Lions CB DJ Reed has awesome quote on Dan Campbell's physical culture
Reed is coming off a tenure with a Jets team that tried to preach physicality under Robert Saleh, but they were often too overwhelmed by Aaron Rodgers drama to achieve that end. Campbell's team will operate with a more business-like approach, which could create more of a physical environment.
Reed will be expected to lead a Lions defense that is fresh off losing Glenn, has a lack of quality pass rushers outside of Aidan Hutchinson, and doesn't have tremendous cornerback depth outside of volatile second-year player Terrion Arnold.
Reed, who was the No. 2 cornerback behind Sauce Gardner in New York, will now be asked to be the No. 1 cornerback in Carlton Davis-less Detroit. That's a tall order, but Reed is clearly doing everything he can to assimilate into the Lions' solid gold culture of hard-hitting and tireless work that Campbell has instilled.
The sign of a coach installing a great culture is when his mindset and mentality can persist after losing many of his top lieutenants. Reed is already banging the Campbell drum as loud as he can in Lions OTAs, which could be a sign that he is ready to get back on track for his new team.
