Giants add veteran DT D.J. Reader on reported two-year contract

The New York Giants have agreed to terms with veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader on a two-year contract worth $12.5 million, according to a person familiar with the move. The team had not officially announced the deal at the time the report was published.

The Details

The Associated Press reported on May 5 that the Giants and Reader had reached agreement on a two-year contract. The Associated Press report via Rome Sentinel served as the seed report on the agreement, with NBC Sports, Fox Sports, and UPI providing corroborating coverage. The AP cited a person familiar with the agreement. That source said the contract is worth $12.5 million. The source also said the deal had not yet been officially announced when the report was published. Because the agreement had not been officially announced, the club had not formally confirmed the move through its usual channels.

NBC Sports, citing multiple reports and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, reported additional contract details. According to the NBC Sports report, the deal carries $12.5 million in base salary. NBC Sports also reported that the contract can reach $15.5 million with incentives. The reports that NBC Sports cited did not disclose the specific benchmarks required for Reader to earn the additional compensation beyond the $12.5 million base.

Reader, 31, is a veteran free-agent lineman who is reportedly signing with the Giants after two seasons with the Detroit Lions. He started all 17 games for the Detroit Lions during the 2025 season. Fox Sports reported his career totals at 328 tackles and 12.5 sacks. Those statistics came across 137 career games, according to the same Fox Sports report. The 137 games were played during his time with the Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals, and Detroit Lions. His full-season availability in Detroit during the 2025 season was also noted in a separate UPI report on the agreement. The UPI report described Reader as coming off a 17-start season with Detroit in 2025.

Fox Sports reported that Reader fills the void created after the Giants traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati before the draft. The Giants are Reader's reported new club, and the organization is in the process of rebuilding its defense after moving Lawrence before the draft, making interior defensive line depth an immediate roster need, according to Fox Sports. Fox Sports also reported that New York had previously hosted Reader for a workout. The workout took place on April 13, prior to the team's eventual trade of Lawrence.

UPI separately corroborated the two-year agreement. The UPI report described Reader as coming off a 17-start season with Detroit in 2025. The UPI report aligned with the Fox Sports account of Reader's availability during the 2025 season.

Context

The Giants are in the process of rebuilding their defensive front after trading defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals before the NFL Draft. Fox Sports reported that this move created a void in the interior of the line. Fox Sports also reported that the move made interior defensive line depth an immediate roster need for the club.

The Giants' reported interest in Reader dates back to at least mid-April. On April 13, the Giants hosted Reader for a workout while Lawrence's future with the team was still unsettled. Lawrence was subsequently traded to Cincinnati before the draft.

UPI's report on the agreement described Reader as coming off a 17-start season with Detroit. Multiple reports indicate that Reader had accumulated 328 tackles and 12.5 sacks over 137 career games with Houston, Cincinnati, and Detroit. Those figures reflect his prior NFL experience before the reported deal with New York.

Reader's reported arrival with the Giants follows his two-season stint with Detroit, as noted in reports on the agreement. The reported signing comes at a time when the Giants had identified interior defensive line depth as an immediate roster need. Lawrence's departure to Cincinnati left the club with a vacancy at the position. The reports indicated that Reader's availability in free agency provided a path to address the need.

What's Next

As of publication, the Giants had not officially announced the signing. The contract terms should remain attributed, as the AP seed relied on an anonymous person familiar with the move and the team had not formally announced the deal. A formal club announcement remains pending. This means the reported agreement has not yet been confirmed through the team's usual channels. Until the team confirms the move, the reported contract terms remain attributed to the initial reports.