The Detroit Lions are letting 10-year veteran DJ Reader test the free agency waters, and the defender has had little success so far. He completed a two-year, $22 million contract at Ford Field, and there hasn't been much buzz around him.
The former fifth-round pick out of Clemson had a visit with the Baltimore Ravens last week, but left without a deal. That means that he either didn't impress them enough or that they might be waiting for other alternatives. Whatever the case, they were the only team to show an interest in him, and that may not change any time soon.
DJ Reader May Have to Wait Until After April's Draft to Sign New Deal
While Reader started all 17 games for Dan Campbell's team last season, his performance on the field failed to match the production that was expected. Despite playing 583 snaps, he failed to register a single sack. All in all, he had three sacks in his two years in Detroit, and he didn't reach 30 tackles in either of his campaigns there. Plain and simple, the Lions needed to move on from Reader, and his continued availability on the market in April confirms that was the right choice.
The former Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman finished the campaign with 28 tackles (11 solo), zero tackles for loss, four QB hits, and 15 run stops. Per Pro Football Focus, he also logged 20 total pressures, including 17 hurries.
Those numbers, plus his age, make it easy to understand why teams aren't necessarily lining up outside his door to sign him. Spotrac projects his next contract to be for two years and $7.7 million, an annual average of just under $3.9 million. That's feasible, but given how the market is shaping, it might make more sense for teams to wait until after the draft and see how the dust settles.
It's not that Reader can't play or that he's going to be a liability, though. Despite the lack of sacks, PFF gave him a 72.6 pass-rush grade, which ranked 21st among 134 eligible defensive linemen. He missed only two tackles, and he's a proven veteran with no concerning injury history.
That said, defensive tackle isn't considered a premium position, and teams aren't going to spend big bucks early in free agency to address that need. The interest might pick up at some point in the offseason, but it will likely come from teams looking to round out the roster and add depth rather than from teams seeking starters.
Bringing him back also makes some sense for the Lions, provided the price is right. As things stand now, the Lions only have Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike as clear-cut starters, and he could be a solid rotational piece there.