Bengals Poised for Shocking Reunion with D.J. Reader – What It Means for Their Championship Hopes

As the NFL’s offseason stretches out before us, the Cincinnati Bengals find themselves at a crossroads—armed with a dazzling offense but shackled by a defense that floundered mightily last season. With free agency’s tampering window creeping ever closer, all eyes are turning toward Cincinnati’s game plan for shoring up that porous defensive front. Rumors are swirling that the Bengals are zeroing in on a familiar figure to help steady their line: none other than defensive tackle D.J. Reader. Fresh off a solid stint with the Detroit Lions, Reader’s potential return could inject both experience and grit into a squad desperate for a reset. The question is, can this reunion spark the defensive revival the Bengals so desperately crave? Whatever the outcome, it promises to be an intriguing subplot this offseason. LEARN MORE

The NFL offseason is in full swing, and the Cincinnati Bengals are reportedly ready to spend to help fix one of the league’s worst defenses to support a star-studded offense. With the legal tampering period just under a month away, the focus has turned to what free agents they can attract.

FOX Sports NFL reporter Greg Auman has predicted that the Bengals will attack the interior of their defensive line with a familiar face. Auman sees the Bengals signing defensive tackle D.J. Reader to a one-year contract this offseason.

Reader has finished the two-year deal he signed with the Detroit Lions after leaving Cincinnati ahead of the 2024 season.

“Reader, 31, just finished a two-year, $22 million contract with Detroit, starting every game as nose tackle. There’s talk he could return to Cincinnati, where he played from 2020-23, and the Bengals could use his presence up front after finishing dead last against the run and bottom three in points and yards allowed in 2025. In his prime with the Bengals, he was graded as a top-10 defensive lineman, and he’s not that anymore, but could still be a match in the $6 million range,” Auman wrote.

Reader is coming off of his first season without a sack since 2022, but the Bengals should be more interested in his ability to stop the run. Reader would likely be in more of a rotational role than his first stint in Cincinnati, but on a young defense that needs leadership, Reader would be just what the doctor ordered.

Auman puts Reader’s projected contract in the $6 million range, but Pro Football Focus projected Reader to get a one-year contract worth $4.5 million. Anywhere in the $4-$6 million range should be something the Bengals are comfortable with. They have also shown to value familiarity, something they certainly have with Reader.

Keep your eyes out for a potential reunion in March.