When veteran cornerback D.J. Reed sat down and watched the film of his first season in Detroit last year to begin his self-scout, he thought he was watching two different players.
There was the player who started really strong, not allowing a touchdown over the first month of the season while holding opposing passers to just a 61.3 rating when targeting him.
But then a major hamstring injury struck Week 4 vs. Cleveland that forced Reed out of Detroit's next six games. Reed returned Week 12 against the Giants but never truly felt like himself. His passer rating against rose to 88.0 over his last seven games of the season and his yards allowed per game and touchdown totals ticked up.
"It was tough," Reed said last week of going through the hamstring injury last year. "It was tough, I'm not going to lie. Just with the severity of the strain. It was a bad strain. I thought that I initially needed surgery."
Reed said the biggest difference he saw watching the tape of himself pre-injury and post-rehab was the lack of burst.
"Watching how I was covering guys before the injury, I was more stickier and I had that burst that I'm accustomed to having," he said. "Just watching later in the season, other games, it was like same thing and same technique but guys were just running by me. Didn't have that extra gear. It was definitely humbling."
Reed said he's focused on staying better hydrated and rested to help the hamstring. He also flew to Panama this offseason to get stem cell treatment on the hamstring in hopes of truly putting the injury behind him.
He was introduced to stem cell treatments by his former teammate in San Francisco, linebacker Fred Warner, and said it's something he's had done on a couple of different injuries over his NFL career.
"It feels good but it's something you got to keep continuing to work out and rehab," Reed said of the hamstring.
Reed feels like his burst is back and he's excited to get back to his game.
View some of the best photos from Detroit Lions OTA practice.
Detroit Lions defensive back Avonte Maddox (29) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyler Lacy (93) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jimmy Rolder (41) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors (25) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) and Detroit Lions running back Jacob Saylors (25) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 27, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Tyleik Williams (91) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) and Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien (27) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 28, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on May 29, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4), Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) and Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3) and Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (39) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 2, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (97) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 3, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco (10) and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary (21) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 4, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tackle Blake Miller (76) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Malik Cunningham (15) and Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Dominic Lovett (19) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 9, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Nick Whiteside (38) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Khalil Dorsey (30) and Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 10, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa (18) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) and Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during OTAs at the Meijer Performance Center on June 11, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
"I'm definitely looking forward to getting back healthy and balling out and doing what I was doing before the injury," he said.
Reed enters the season as Detroit's No. 1 cornerback for a secondary dealing with a lot of change this offseason. Detroit's working in a new nickel cornerback and Reed said building a rapport with the new safeties has been key not knowing when Kerby Joseph (knee) or Brian Branch (Achilles) might return.
Reed likes the competition developing all across the secondary and can't wait to see how roster positions and roles work themselves out. He's just glad he's healthy and back to being himself again and is doing all he can to make sure it stays that way.
