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Does this count as a splash-signing? Asking for a friend.
After having a visit planned for Thursday, March 14, free agent defensive tackle DJ Reader is leaving the city with a deal in place, agreeing to a two-year deal worth a maximum of $27.25 million with the Detroit Lions.
At 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, Reader has been a force of nature on the inside since entering the league as a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, and pairing him with Lions’ defensive tackle Alim McNeill immediately gives Detroit one of the more formidable interior duos in the NFL.
Reader spent four seasons with the Houston Texans before signing a second deal with the Cincinnati Bengals prior to the 2020 season. Throughout his eight years as a pro, one thing about Reader’s game has been present year-in and year-out, and that is his ability to stop the run. If needed, he can be one of the rare interior players that can consistently occupy a gap and a half, or even two gaps, depending on the needs of the defensive scheme.
A team captain and an anchor in the middle of that defense for four years, Reader will surely be missed in Cincinnati. With his departure, let’s take a closer look at how the news of Reader signing in Detroit has Bengals fans and analysts reacting, starting with Cincy native and Bengals content creator, Joe Goodberry.
We'll miss Reader. An absolute joy to watch when healthy. His ability to eat space, hold the point of attack, stack and shed blockers, take on double teams, toss other massive humans and look like an absolute beast while smiling.
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) March 14, 2024
He was the first big free agent signing of this… https://t.co/QGOYLFGvp6
DJ Reader tweet pic.twitter.com/P8dL3PdGdc
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) December 27, 2022
DJ Reader has been the best player on the Bengals this season. pic.twitter.com/uMfkfZ6CaZ
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) September 26, 2022
DJ Reader bench pressing Tyler Linderbaum pic.twitter.com/hFn6avtJET
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) January 16, 2023
Watch the LG melt into the turf as he tries to block Reader. pic.twitter.com/95C4ElOt5h
— Goodberry (@JoeGoodberry) October 15, 2023
Always good to see a positive reaction from analysts like Marcus Spears, and Nick Baumgardner.
#DJReader to the @Lions is a great move !! I mean great move .
— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) March 14, 2024
DJ Reader and Alim McNeill. pic.twitter.com/Kaxcvo1UAU
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) March 14, 2024
Alim McNeill and DJ Reader are going to destroy IOLs together.
— John Owning (@JohnOwning) March 14, 2024
As long as he comes back healthy. Y’all got one of the most underrated IDL in the league.
— The Ohio Legacy (@TheOhioLegacy) March 14, 2024
Best of luck to ya, DJ, you’ll be missed!
Safe to say most Bengals fans are going to miss Reader on their football team.
DJ Reader is not a Bengal… pic.twitter.com/be5LKZWPIQ
— Bengalorian (@thebengalorian) March 14, 2024
It has been a tough few weeks for Cincinnati sports fans.
— seth reese † (@SethR94) March 14, 2024
Have said goodbye to Joey Votto, Joe Mixon, Tyler Boyd, and now DJ Reader.
Really is a New Dey.
I think it sucks personally. I wish they could have made it happen. Seems like we could have made a similar offer to him and been fine. Bengals just got worse today.
— Intensity7 (@corbdog77) March 14, 2024
This one hurts.
— Brian (@BrianSpeaksNerd) March 14, 2024
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