The New York Giants were one of the busiest teams before and during the 2026 NFL Draft. After shipping Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for the No. 10 overall pick, the Giants were armed with a pair of top-10 picks, with Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa eventually highlighting their seven-player draft class.
While New York used a sixth-round pick on defensive tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis, they didn’t properly replace Lawrence, even though Reese will chip in on the defensive line. The team still needed a big-bodied tackle to clog up the middle of the line, and it appears they have found a proper replacement for Lawrence in veteran defensive tackle DJ Reader.
Giants DJ Reader to Two-Year, $12.5 Million Contract
Shortly after Lawrence was traded to the Bengals, Reader was quickly linked to the Giants, as he took a free agent visit with the team. A 10-year veteran, Reader does all of the dirty work along the defensive line, as he sacrifices gaudy stats in order to help open things up for his teammates, and it’s safe to say he will be joining a star-studded group.
Reader spent the past two seasons with the Detroit Lions, and he is fresh off an impressive 2025 season in which he started all 17 games for the team. Again, his stats weren’t particularly impressive, as he finished the year with 28 tackles and no sacks, but Reader helped open things up for Aidan Hutchinson and company all year long.
With Reese joining a vicious pass-rush group spearheaded by Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, and Kayvon Thibodeaux, the Giants needed someone to command attention along the middle of the line. That’s precisely what Reader can do, and it wasn’t much of a surprise to see that the team managed to sign him to a two-year, $12.5 million contract in free agency on Tuesday afternoon.
“Sources: The Giants and DJ Reader agreed to a 2-year, $12.5M deal with the potential to earn more via incentives. A big get for NYG,” NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported in a post on X.
DJ Reader Signing Fills Major Hole on Giants’ Depth Chart
GettyDefensive tackle DJ Reader of the Detroit Lions.
After losing Lawrence and failing to truly address the defensive tackle position in the draft, this was one of the final needs the Giants had to find a way to fill before the start of the new season. Reader isn’t the flashiest player in the world, but he’s precisely the type of guy New York needed to add to its defensive line before it returns to action.
Now that Reader is in town, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Giants’ front office explore trades for Thibodeaux, as his snaps appear set to go to Reese moving forward. For the most part, New York’s major moves have already been made this offseason, but its work isn’t done yet. Landing Reader fills a key area of need for the team moving forward, and fans will be curious to see if Thibodeaux’s status receives a resolution soon now that trade rumors are swirling.
Giants Sign Dexter Lawrence Replacement to $12.5 Million Contract