The Detroit Lions welcomed a new player, DJ, this offseason. Now, another DJ who has served as a key supporter for them in recent years may be joining a perennial playoff contender in the AFC North.
According to the NFL’s transaction wire, the Baltimore Ravens hosted veteran defensive tackle DJ Reader for a visit on Thursday. Reader, 31, is a free agent after his two-year deal with the Lions expired.
It’s unclear if the Lions want Reader back, but he recently stated that he would like to stay in Detroit, despite the fact that he knows it’s not completely up to him.
“I don’t know. “I don’t know if I’ll get that opportunity for real,” Reader told the Up and Adams Show. “Do you understand what I’m saying? ” We’ll see. Hopefully. I would love to. I adore the people there, my guys, and my colleagues. They’ve been in contact with my agency, I believe, so I haven’t had any direct contact, which doesn’t surprise me.
“It always goes one way or another with personal communication. So we’ll see. I’d like to state that I’m familiar with it, so I wouldn’t have to uproot and relocate, but we’ll see. It is not in my power at the moment. I’m waiting to see what actual options are available.
In his two seasons with the Lions, Reader recorded 51 stops, four tackles for loss, eight quarterback hits, and three sacks. All of his sacks occurred during his first season with Detroit; he had none in 2025.
The Lions’ defensive tackle depth is dwindling after losing important defenders such as Roy Lopez and Al-Quadin Muhammad in free agency.
The Lions have signed Alim McNeil, Tyliek Williams, Mekhi Wingo, Chris Smith, Myles Adams, and Levin Onwuzurike as defensive linemen, but there is potential for advancement.
McNeil had a difficult season, recovering from a torn ACL in 2024. Williams demonstrated promise as a run defender, but he had some rookie difficulties. Wingo only participated in two games owing to injuries, while Smith and Adams spent the majority of their time on the practice squad. Onwuzurike missed the entire year of 2025 due to an ACL problem.
Despite the fact that Reader’s statistics have decreased somewhat, losing him may be a severe setback for Detroit given everything. During his stint with the Lions, he was still a prominent defender who served as a mentor to McNeil and Williams.
Things may have changed since then, but as of March 9, Reader stated that he had not discussed returning with the Lions or general manager Brad Holmes.
“I feel like you give up any negotiating power if you’re the one reaching out, attempting to see,” Reader said. “I adore Brad. I had a strong connection with Brad and have always enjoyed him; I admire him immensely. So it’s not like a, “Oh, I’m too proud to reach out” situation. It’s simply that I’m not sure whether that’s my spot. I’ve never done it before, and I haven’t had to do it in my career, so it’d be new to me.
“But I also know that I have a really, really strong support system. My belongings are safe at home. So, no matter where I go, I will be blessed, and I know that the people who care about me will support me. So I don’t really care where that opportunity is. Do you know what I mean? You want it to be somewhere familiar, somewhere you’ve visited, or where I currently am in Detroit, but if not, I’m not concerned.
