After the 2025 NFL Draft, one thing is clear: the Detroit Lions are loaded at defensive tackle—and that might spell the end for veteran D.J. Reader’s time in Honolulu blue.
The Lions added Ohio State’s Tyleik Williams with their first-round pick, a move that bolsters an already deep interior defensive line. Williams now joins a group that includes Alim McNeill, Levi Onwuzurike, Roy Lopez, Brodric Martin, and Reader.
McNeill is a lock—he’s not going anywhere after signing a $97 million extension last fall. Onwuzurike and Lopez were just re-signed. Martin is young and cheap. That leaves Reader, who was already viewed as a possible cut candidate due to his price tag.
Reader’s 2025 cap hit sits at nearly $13 million, but the Lions could save over $7 million by moving on from him. That kind of flexibility could be key if Detroit wants to go after another edge rusher or make room elsewhere on the roster.
His performance last year didn’t exactly justify that salary either. Reader played just over half of the defensive snaps and wasn’t especially impactful—ranking 55th in pressures, 82nd in stops, and outside the top 100 in solo tackles, per Pro Football Focus.
With Williams needing reps and Reader turning 31 soon, the Lions might be better off rolling with a younger rotation until McNeill returns from injury. There’s even a chance Detroit could find a trade partner, given how valuable quality defensive tackles have become around the league.
Bottom line: the DT room is crowded, and Reader may not fit in the plans much longer.
D.J. Reader’s Future in Doubt After Lions Draft Tyleik Williams
