The Detroit Lions are signing former Bengals DT DJ Reader to a 2 year/$27.25M contract.
Reader was originally signed as a free agent by the Bengals in 2020. He quickly became an integral part of the Bengals defence, thanks largely to his ability against the run. Injuries were an issue at times throughout his tenure, but when healthy, Reader proved to be a top 3-5 NT in the NFL. The impact he made against the run was visible every game, and his play especially against guys like Derrick Henry was extremely impressive.
His AAV of $13.625M is actually a very reasonable number, which does make it somewhat surprising that the Bengals were not able to match, assuming that Reader wanted to stay. It is a contract I would have been happy to give him, but perhaps they were not so comfortable, given his age and injury history.
Reader’s departure will leave a massive hole on the Bengals defence, one that they will not be able to completely fill this offseason. Teair Tart visited with the team on Thursday, and could fill some of the void. But adding a NT with a higher ceiling now becomes a need. T’Vondre Sweat very well could be someone they target in the draft.
Homescreen Image Via: Eli Marshall