The Detroit Lions are adding some veteran insurance to their secondary ahead of Sunday night’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

Detroit announced Saturday that it has elevated veteran safety Jalen Mills from the practice squad to the Active/Inactive list. The move gives the Lions another experienced option with starting cornerback D.J. Reed listed as questionable because of a rib injury.

Jalen Mills Elevated for Lions

The Lions signed Mills to their practice squad on Sept. 21 after injuries created significant concerns in Detroit’s secondary. The 32-year-old veteran has extensive NFL experience and previously spent time with Detroit, appearing in three games for the Lions in 2025, making him a logical emergency option for Kelvin Sheppard’s defense.

This isn’t Mills’ first elevation of the season, either. He was elevated for Detroit’s Week 3 victory over the Jets, when the Lions were also dealing with significant injuries in their secondary.

Detroit’s Secondary Is Still Thinned Out

The elevation says as much about the rest of the secondary as it does about Reed. Safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are both on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, and the Lions placed Avonte Maddox and Thomas Harper on injured reserve in late September, which leaves Sheppard short on bodies in the back end.

Practice-squad rules allow teams to elevate up to two players for a game without creating a permanent spot on the 53-man roster, and each player can be elevated three times in a season before the club has to sign him outright. Sunday is Mills’ second of those three. Mills’ elevation therefore gives Detroit additional flexibility while the Lions wait to see whether Reed will be cleared to face Carolina.