Lions' Reed avoids season-ending injury, Arnold's status up in the air for next week, and McNeill on cusp of returning

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Allen Park — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell offered a mix bag of injury updates, but more good news than bad, the day after his team upended the Cleveland Browns, 34-10.

Of primary concern, Campbell announced that cornerback DJ Reed, who was carted off with a hamstring injury early in the fourth quarter Sunday, won’t miss the remainder of the season.

The Lions will be without Reed for the immediate future, and it remains up in the air as to whether he’ll require a stint on injured reserve, which would ensure he misses at least the next four games.

“It will be close, I think,” Campbell said. “It could be in that range.”

Re-affirming what he said immediately after the game, Campbell was more encouraged about the status of Terrion Arnold, who left Sunday’s contest with a shoulder concern. At worse, the second-year cornerback is expected to only miss the next weekend’s game against the Bengals.

“I don’t think this is a huge thing, but the question is he going to be ready for this week?” Campbell said. “If it’s not this week, he should be back for next week.”

That potentially leaves the Lions shorthanded at cornerback for their next matchup. Campbell said, if nothing else, he expects the team to add a piece to the practice squad this week.

As for the remaining options, Amik Robertson is expected to start in place of Reed, while the team would turn to either Rock-Ya Sin or Khalil Dorsey if Arnold is sidelined. Campbell explained why he’s confident there would be next to no drop-off with the reserves.

“We’ve always preached next man up and getting the next guys ready to go,” Campbell said. “Our next guys up get (practice) reps. They get real reps. They get our scheme, our work, running our plays. So they’re expected to step in, and we don’t lose a beat. They know that. That’s the expectation here. That is the standard. Whether it’s Dorse or Rock, they’re going to be ready to go.”

In addition to the corners, the Lions have a small group of players who started the season on the physically unable to perform and non-football injury lists who are eligible to return to practice this week. In surprising news, Campbell said there’s a good chance defensive tackle Alim McNeill gets going this week.

“We’re close on Mac,” Campbell said. “…We just want to make sure we check all those boxes before we say that’s what we’re going to do, for sure. But it’s trending the right way. Mac, 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. He’s done an unbelievable job.”

McNeill, who tore his ACL in December and had surgery in early January, recently told the Detroit Football Network he has full strength, extension and range of motion in the injured knee.

Once he starts practicing, the Lions will have a three-week acclimation period before they have to add him to the roster. That could put him in line to return after the team’s bye, Nov. 2, against Minnesota.

Campbell offered a less optimistic update on another player residing on the PUP list, rookie guard Miles Frazier.

“What I would tell you is he is progressing not as fast as we hoped,” Campbell said. “I can’t say that we won’t get him back at some point here, but it’s not as clear as, say, (Christian) Mahogany was last year. It was very clear, at this point, he’s getting healthy, he’s starting to feel better. We’re not quite there, but he is improving.”

Mahogany missed training camp as a rookie with lingering symptoms after contracting mononucleosis. He returned to practice in early October last year. Frazier, meanwhile, is dealing with a knee injury he suffered in the early portions of the offseason program.