The Detroit Lions made a flurry of changes this offseason, reshuffling key parts of their roster and coaching staff in hopes of taking another leap when the lights come on in September.
The biggest shakeup on the defensive side of the ball came when defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn rode off into the New York sunset to take over as head coach of the Jets.
Glenn had been the Lions' defensive architect since 2021, gradually turning a leaky unit into one of the stingiest in the league. After a rocky start, Detroit’s defense cracked the top 10 last season.
Of course, coaching only takes you so far.
The Lions' rise has just as much to do with a loaded roster of dogs who bought into the mission. Aidan Hutchinson is a menace off the edge, Alim McNeil holds it down in the trenches, and guys like Jack Campbell, Kerby Joseph, and Brian Branch bring the juice every snap.
But even a well-oiled machine needs fine-tuning, and the NFL doesn’t wait around for anyone. Which brings us to DJ Reader.
Reader inked a two-year, $22 million deal last offseason after anchoring the Bengals' defensive line for four seasons. He was solid last year—started 15 games at nose tackle, racked up 23 tackles, eight QB hits, and a career-best three sacks. Pro Football Focus had him ranked 36th among 118 interior D-linemen.
Unfortunately for Reader, solid doesn’t always cut it when teams have their eyes on greatness.
That's why the Lions decided to take Tyleik Williams out of Ohio State with their first-round pick.
Williams is a certified space-eater at 6-foot-3, 334 pounds—a boulder in the middle who doesn’t just soak up double-teams, he wrecks them. In his final college season, he tallied 47 tackles, eight for loss, and 2.5 sacks.
He’s the prototype for what teams want in a modern nose tackle: brute strength with surprising quicks. A big man with ballerina feet and a mean streak. Detroit didn’t draft him just to warm the bench—he’s coming for snaps, and probably sooner rather than later.
With McNeil locked into a starting gig, and depth guys like Levi Onwuzurike and Roy Lopez fighting for roles, Reader suddenly finds himself on shaky ground. His role for 2025 might still exist—but it’s likely to shrink, and with his contract expiring after this season, his future in Detroit might already be written in pencil.
If Reader wants to prove he’s still got gas in the tank, he’ll need to bring the fire come training camp. Otherwise, he might find himself watching from the sidelines while the new blood takes over the trenches.
Reader isn’t out of the picture just yet, but he’s definitely on notice—and that should keep him tossing and turning as camp approaches.