The Detroit Lions have bolstered their linebacker group by agreeing to terms with veteran Troy Reeder, a move that brings experience and special teams reliability to a unit already featuring several established contributors.
Reeder’s agency revealed the move on Monday morning.
The 31-year-old who owns 38 career starts across seven NFL seasons and won a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, arrives as a low-risk addition capable of providing depth and insurance at a position where injuries and competition remain factors.
Reeder’s path to the NFL began as an undrafted free agent out of Delaware in 2019, when the Rams took a chance on him. He quickly earned trust, starting eight games as a rookie and finishing with 58 tackles.
The following season he started seven more contests and produced 81 tackles, three sacks and five tackles for loss. His third year marked a career high in starts with 10, accompanied by 91 tackles, two sacks and six tackles for loss.
Those early contributions established him as a dependable rotational piece, yet the Rams ultimately declined to extend him long-term.
In 2022, Reeder followed former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to the Los Angeles Chargers, but a starting role never materialized. He returned to the Rams the next season and started six games in both 2023 and 2024.
A hamstring injury late in the 2024 campaign cost him momentum, and in 2025 he managed only one start while recording 25 tackles. Throughout his career he has also carved out a substantial special-teams footprint, accumulating 1,868 snaps in that phase. Last season alone, he played 394 special-teams snaps and contributed across five phases, a versatility that raises the likelihood he sticks on a roster.
For the Lions, the signing addresses potential depth needs behind an already solid core. Jack Campbell, fresh off a significant contract extension, is locked in as a starter. Derrick Barnes offers positional flexibility that includes work on the edge, while Malcolm Rodriguez returns from an injury-plagued 2025.
Detroit also invested a fourth-round pick in Jimmy Rolder, who will receive opportunities to climb the depth chart. Trevor Nowaske brings edge-rush ability and special-teams value that could secure him a roster spot as Barnes’ primary backup.
That leaves Reeder competing primarily for a backup role behind Campbell, most directly against free-agent addition Damone Clark. Clark, entering his fifth season with 26 career starts, presents a younger alternative with a comparable résumé.
Whether Reeder ultimately claims the fifth linebacker spot will depend on how he performs in camp and the preseason. His combination of starting experience, proven production in prior seasons and consistent special-teams contributions gives him a realistic chance to make the team.
At minimum, the Lions have added a veteran who has shown he can step into a starting role when needed and who elevates the overall depth of the defense heading into the 2026 campaign.
