Lions reportedly to visit with dominant run-stuffing defensive tackle Reader

The Detroit Lions have been busy ahead of the new league year, which arrives Wednesday at 4 p.m..

The team has locked up guard Graham Glasgow for three more seasons, reached agreements with two free-agent defenders in Marcus Davenport and Amik Robertson, and swung a trade for cornerback Carlton Davis III from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

But the job of crafting the roster is never done and general manager Brad Holmes might have one more big move on deck. According to multiple reports, the team is bringing in free agent defensive tackle D.J. Reader for a visit on Thursday.

The 6-foot-3, 335-pound Reader has been one of the league's better interior lineman the past several seasons. A consistently dominant run-stuffer, he's also an underrated pass-rushing force, averaging more than 30 quarterback pressures the past three seasons for the Bengals.

Originally a fifth-round draft pick out of Clemson in 2016, Reader spent his first four seasons with the Houston Texans prior to signing a lucrative deal with the Bengals as a free agent in 2019.

If there's a clear downside, it's his injury history. He finished last season on injured reserve after tearing his quad in December, the second time he's suffered that injury the past three years. He also missed six games in 2022 with a knee injury. He's otherwise appeared in at least 14 games six of his eight seasons.

Adding Reader would provide a significant boost to Detroit's defensive front, which is already coming off a season where they finished near the top of the league in run defense.

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers