May 5 (UPI) — The New York Giants agreed to a two-year contract with D.J. Reader, the free agent defensive tackle confirmed Tuesday on social media.
Reader’s pact with the Giants is worth up to $15.5 million. The veteran defensive lineman will join a revamped Giants defensive tackle group that also features Shelby Harris, Leki Fotu and Darius Alexander, among others.
Reader, 31, spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions. He logged 28 combined tackles and four quarterback hits over 17 starts last season.
Reader totaled 328 combined tackles, 56 quarterback hits and 27 tackles for a loss over the first 10 years of his career, including additional stints with the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals.
The 6-foot-3, 330-pound defender received Pro Football Focus’ 26th-best defensive rating among defensive lineman who were in for at least 50% of the maximum snaps played at the position last season. He received the 16th-best pass rush rating, the 20th-best tackle rating and was the 32nd-best run defender among qualifying players.
Reader ranked 11th among qualifying defensive linemen in 2023, while he was with the Bengals. He was the sixth-best run defender that season. Reader was Pro Football Focus’ sixth-best defensive lineman in 2021. He received the fifth-best run defensive grade that year.
The Giants, who traded Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals this off-season, allowed the fifth-most yards in the NFL last season. They surrendered the second-most rushing yards.
The Giants will hold rookie minicamp from Friday to Sunday. They will host their first segment of organized team activities May 19. Giants mandatory minicamp will be held June 8 to 10.
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