Roster impact of the Detroit Lions signing NT DJ Reader

Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes isn’t messing around when it comes to adding talent to defense. In his latest move, the Lions have reportedly signed nose tackle DJ Reader to a two-year deal worth up to a maximum of $27.25 million with $9 million guaranteed.

Let’s take a look at how Reader fits in with the Lions’ roster and scheme, as well as how his addition will impact Detroit’s offseason plans.

Roster fit

A physically imposing force along the defensive line, Reader is known for his strength and ability to win in both run-stopping and pass-rushing situations. He engulfs double teams, is nearly impossible to move off his spot, and plays with a gritty level of physicalness.

“That grit, that nastiness, I mean, if you’re a D-lineman, you want to play in an environment like that,” Reader explained about being drawn to Detroit. “Guys are going to fly around, play hard, their coaches are tough-nosed, (coach Dan Campbell’s) demanding, he’s not disrespectful, that’s amazing. You want those types of things. As a player, if you don’t want that type of stuff, then you don’t want to get better. I think being here and feeling the energy here is definitely a place where people want to come to get better, and that’s from top down. It seems like everyone in this building has an agenda to get better.”

But Reader’s anticipated value is expected to go beyond what he does individually on the football field. Of the returning defensive linemen on the Lions roster, John Cominsky was the senior veteran with just five years of NFL playing experience, with every other player having three or fewer seasons of professional experience. Adding a veteran leader was a low-key important offseason move. Reader, a two-time captain of the Cincinnati Bengals, fills this role in spades.

“It meant a lot to me because captain is something that’s voted on by your teammates,” Reader said of his time as a captain. “I think that means a lot to me, coming from the guys who I blood, sweat, and tear with every day. It means the world to me. I didn’t take it lightly.”

Moving forward, Reader plans to stay in a leadership role in Detroit, passing along his knowledge and experience to Detroit’s young core.

“I think that type of leadership, being able to lead by example, show the guys I’m willing to do whatever work, whatever it is, be able to serve them in any way. It’s important, hopefully, they’re receptive to it,” Reader elaborated.

Reader will spend most of his time working alongside Alim McNeill, who the veteran defensive tackle believes has “a lot of talent” and is someone he is excited to be around and also learn from.

“I’m excited to pair with him, see what he does well,” Reader said of McNeill. “I watch him all the time on film, so I’m excited to just get around him and be able to pick his brain, what he likes about the position. Every guy’s got different things they like about playing D-tackle. I got my own things I enjoy about playing defensive tackle. So I just want to talk to him about it, and pick his brain and see what he’s got going on, and what our future holds.”

And while Reader and McNeill figure to help build each other up, Reader’s biggest developmental influence will likely come when he is able to work alongside fellow nose tackle Brodric Martin.

“He’s a young pup, he’s running around, trying to figure things out,” Reader said of Martin. “I can’t wait to get my hands on him, just talk to him. Talk to him about ball, how to play this position. Especially that nose guard position. It’s a unique position. There’s a right way to do it, there’s a wrong way to do it. And there’s just things you can learn that’ll help you out. Especially, (because) you can’t be asked to take on double teams all the time. So hopefully I can help him a lot.”

Scheme fit

As I brought up in Marcus Davenport’s roster impact article, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has constantly shifted his defensive front over the past three seasons. He’s used 1-gap, 2-gap, gap-and-a-half, concepts from 3-, 4- and 5-man fronts, and has leaned on players' adaptability to adjust.

Reader (6-foot-3, 335 pounds) has the ability to play at the 0-, 1-, and 3-technique, and his versatility to play in different gaps front makes him an ideal fit for the Lions. On most downs, Reader will play at the nose (0- or 1-tech) leaving McNeill to attack from the 3-tech position—which in the past, Glenn has said is his preference for McNeill.

The pairing of Reader with McNeill (6-foot-2, 315 pounds), who offers a similar range of skills and versatility, will also allow the Lions front to run alignment disguises and keep opposing offensive lines on their toes.

While Reader has never been a stat sheet filler, it’s his dirty work that frees up his teammates to capitalize. His ability to collapse the pocket from the interior, play with a non-stop effort, and be stout against the run, would produce a lot of opportunities for McNeill and maybe most especially, Hutchinson.

“Honestly I think Aidan’s one of the most unique edge rushers we have in the league right now,” Reader praised. “One, you don’t have too many people that size who can bend the edge like he can, who’s pretty relentless in the rush like he is. He gets hot. He’s like a hot shooter. You watch him in the playoffs, he gets hot. Those games in which he has multiple sacks or catches a pick. He gets hot and he’s feeling it. You can tell he’s feeling it. That’s always fun to play beside.

“You find a player that gets hot like that and you can help push the pocket. Making things a little easier for him where he can really run the edge. You don’t have to counter inside. Those things. When you’ve got a guy like that, who's got pretty much every move in his bag and he can do whatever, you just try to be able to be a good teammate, man. Just try to be there to motivate him. I know how hot he gets. I want to be on that sideline, I want to be hyping him up, be his biggest cheerleader on the sideline. And when he isn’t, I want to get him in that zone. So it’s fun. It’ll be fun to be able to tap into that, that young talent.”

Offseason impact

With Reader in the fold, you could argue that Holmes has addressed every starting position on defense just a few days into free agency. The Lions still need depth at a few spots, but they could be addressed in free agency when prices drop. Detroit will also surely add talent in the draft to develop for future seasons, but things are starting to take shape.

With Reader, McNeill, Martin, Levi Onwuzurike, and Chris Smith all under contract in 2024, defensive tackle may not seem like a pressing need. And in free agency, it likely won’t be. But the NFL Draft is a different story.

With only nose tackles Reader and Martin under contract beyond this season, selecting a defensive tackle in the top 100 picks could be in play. That being said, a McNeill extension this offseason would make a ton of sense, and would likely change that priority. But until that happens, defensive tackle remains a potential long-term need.