We all knew DJ Reader had a market. However, it’s hard to really gauge his value, coming off a major, season-ending injury and entering the back half of his career.
Now 29 years old, Reader has been among the best nose tackles in football and was just that prior to joining the Bengals from Houston a few seasons ago. The Bengals made him the highest-paid player at his position, and his impact on the team’s run defense more than proved his worth.
However, this time around, the Bengals will have more mouths to feed and may not be able to pay to keep the star. With Derrick Henry joining the division and Nick Chubb staying in Cleveland, having a run-stopping player like Reader should be seen as a priority.
After tagging Tee Higgins and the trade of Joe Mixon, all eyes may be set on Reader, and he’s set to take a trip several hours north this coming week. Per Jordan Schultz, Reader will visit with the Detroit Lions.
The 6-foot-3, 335-pound nose tackle from Greensboro (NC) has played in 10 or more games in his last three seasons with the Bengals, finishing last season with 14 games played and 34 tackles. Reader chipped in seven quarterback hits as well.
While the numbers aren’t there in many metrics, Reader is among the best run-stuffing defensive tackles in the league, and he’ll certainly be paid like it. The better question is if Cincinnati is going to continue to be his home or not.
With others eyeing his talents, expect the next few weeks to be telling for Reader’s future.
