Heading into their Week 5 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Detroit Lions are adding reinforcements at cornerback.
The Lions signed veteran Tre Flowers to the practice squad after injuries felled both of the team’s starting outside corners Week 4.
Detroit lost D.J. Reed to a hamstring injury that isn’t season-ending but is projected to sideline him for multiple weeks. Second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold also exited the Browns game with a shoulder issue that leaves his Week 5 status in doubt.
Dan Campbell acknowledged that the club might need immediate help at corner, and with safety Daniel Thomas also on injured reserve after forearm surgery, the front office had to address both defensive depth and kicking-game responsibilities.
I don’t think T.A. is a major thing,” Campbell said after the Lions beat the Cleveland Browns Week 4. “Now, I don’t know – there again, I don’t know about him next week, but it’s certainly not as significant as what, you know, as what Reed had.”
A Look at What Tre Flowers Has Done Before Signing With the Detroit Lions
GettyCB Tre Flowers was signed by the Detroit Lions and added to their practice squad.
Drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round in 2018, Flowers converted from college safety to corner. He spent his first three seasons in Seattle, with his most productive stat line coming in 2019, when he finished with 82 total tackles (two for loss), a forced fumble, eight PBUs and three interceptions.
He was traded to the Bengals in 2021, where he carved out a solid role as a sub-package “TE eraser” of sorts.
Short stops in Atlanta (2023), Jacksonville and Indianapolis (2024) followed, where he contributed as depth in the secondary and on special teams. He landed with the Chicago Bears this offseason before getting released during the team’s final roster cuts.
Over his eight years in the league, he has played in 95 career games (44 starts). At 6-foot-3 and 203-pounds, he’s a big-bodied DB who should be able to contribute primarily on special teams if needed, but he could also get a few defensive snaps, as well.
Flowers Could Be Called Up to the 53-Man Roster as Soon as This Weekend
Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, who took over the unit in 2025, has stressed having matchup flexibility in his secondary. Flowers brings length, physical tackling and experience playing in press/quarters that should help him get acclimated in Detroit.
If Arnold can’t go, Flowers will be an insurance policy behind Rock Ya-Sin and Amik Robertson . If Arnold plays, Flowers still offers value on special teams.
Through four games, opponents have found chunk yardage against the Lions at a rate that stresses any secondary, and that was before Reed limped off and Arnold’s shoulder tightened. The addition of Flowers doesn’t solve that problem, but his addition buys Sheppard and company more time to recalibrate before making a trade in haste.
If Reed’s timetable compresses and Arnold shakes off his shoulder issue quickly, it’s still nice to have a little insurance at CB, and Flowers gives the Lions that.
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