Replacing Dexter Lawrence II won’t be a long process for the New York Giants, not when the team is predicted to “push harder” to sign a 330-pound replacement for the All-Pro nose tackle, who was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals for the 10th pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
The Giants swapped Lawrence for first-round value on Saturday, April 18, and the team already has plans for its second top-10 pick, but those plans don’t involve defensive tackle.
Not when Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic offered this prediction about free agent space-eater D.J. Reader’s next destination. Zrebiec, reporting on the impact of the Lawrence trade for the Bengals’ AFC North rivals the Baltimore Ravens, thinks the Giants will “push harder for DJ Reader who visited Balt.”
Beating strong competition from the Ravens to sign a quick deal with Reader would make sense for the Giants, and not just because of the need to fill the hole up front created by Lawrence’s departure.
D.J. Reader Made Sense Before Dexter Lawrence Trade
There’s good reason why the Giants have already met with Reader, an interaction the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz described on Monday, April 13 as “not just a look-see meeting. Something could get done with him in the next two weeks.” Big Blue’s defensive front needed Reader’s niche skills even before Lawrence was traded.
Specifically, the Giants need the 6-foot-3, 330-pounder’s bulk and expertise stuffing the run. Years of weakness stopping teams on the ground reached a nadir in 2025, when the Giants allowed 5.3 yards per rush, the most in the NFL.
Reader has become something of a premier run-stopper for hire in recent years, after originally honing his skills as a fifth-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2016. Subsequent stops with both the Bengals and Detroit Lions showcased Reader’s value as a true fulcrum for a stout run defense.
The 31-year-old’s aptitude in this area is perhaps best summed up by these numbers from 2023, courtesy of Next Gen Stats. They reveal “The Bengals defense allowed fewer yards per carry and contacted opposing ball carriers behind the LOS more often with D.J. Reader on the field.”
Plugging Reader into the middle of their three-man front would be a great way for the Giants to quickly draw a line under Lawrence’s exit.
Giants Need Quick Narrative Change After Trade
They couldn’t stop the run with Lawrence in the lineup, but his other-worldly ability to rush the passer from over the ball will be missed. Big No. 97 both demanded and commanded double teams, so opponents will now get to focus their blocking on other notable disruptors, mostly like edge-rushers Brian Burns and Abdul Carter.
All of these factors serve to underline how the Giants lost an elite talent. Getting an extra first-round pick in response is more than welcome, but a defender already undergoing a rebuild looks significantly weaker without Lawrence.
General manager Joe Schoen and new head coach John Harbaugh need a quick way to change the narrative post-trading Lawrence. The two decision-makers have established a successful rapport during 2026 NFL free agency, so adding Reader would continue the progress they’ve made reshaping the roster.
Giants Tipped to ‘Push Harder’ to Sign 330-Pound Dexter Lawrence Replacement