AFC North Rival Baltimore Ravens Making Push to Sign Former Cincinnati Bengals Star
Former Bengals star defensive tackle DJ Reader could be headed to the Baltimore Ravens. Reader was in Baltimore on Thursday and took a physical. He's expected to sign with a team in the near future, but plans to wait until after the 2026 NFL DraftThe Bengals' defense hasn't been the same since Reader left in free agency following the 2023 season.
He spent the past two years with the Lions. He's back on the market and is clearly willing to be patient before picking his next team.Feb 13, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson celebrates a play with defensive tackle D.J. Reader against the Los Angeles Rams during Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images If Reader did end up in Baltimore, he would reunite with two other key players that helped Cincinnati make it to Super Bowl LVI: Trey Hendrickson and Chidobe Awuzie. Hendrickson signed a four-year, $112 million contract with the Ravens earlier this month. Awuzie is entering his second year in Baltimore and inked aIf Baltimore signs Reader, it would give them three of the top defensive players during the peak of the Joe Burrow era.Dec 4, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyleik Williams , defensive tackle DJ Reader and defensive tackle Roy Lopez during a time out in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images The Ravens aren't the only team interested in Reader. Wilson is reporting that other teams are in the hunt to sign the veteran.. "Could be Ravens, but other NFL teams are in on Reader too." Reader had 28 tackles and four quarterback hits in 17 games last season. He played in 32 of 34 regular season games in two years with Detroit. He had three sacks in 2024. Reader is still an effective player and would be a quality addition to any team hoping to make a playoff run. For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio and Amazon. Make sure you bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more! We're a one-stop shop for all things Cincinnati Bengals! Join the 63,000+ Bengals fans that subscribe to us on YouTube. Follow us on X: @BengalsTalkSI. Join the 117,000+ Bengals Fans That Have Liked Our Facebook Page. Subscribe and follow the Locked On Bengals Podcast: the ONLY Daily Bengals Podcast. Join the 49,000+ Bengals Fans That Follow Us on TikTok.JAMES RAPIEN James Rapien is the publisher of Bengals OnSI. He's also the host of the Locked on Bengals podcast and Cincinnati Bengals Talk on YouTube. The Cincinnati native also wrote a book about the history of the Cincinnati Bengals called Enter The Jungle. Prior to joining Bengals On SI, Rapien worked at 700 WLW and ESPN 1530 in Cincinnati
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