The Detroit Lions have one more game remaining in what has turned out to be a disappointing season, and then will have some big decisions to make in the offseason.
The Lions were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas, sending the team to a long offseason where they will have to decide which free agents to keep and which to let walk.
That includes a $27 million defensive tackle who could be on his way out despite expressing his desire to come back to Detroit.
Lions Face DJ Reader Decision
Reporter John Maakaron of SI.com broke down the long list of unrestricted free agents for the Lions, who had years of careful roster building under general manager Brad Holmes to build a Super Bowl contender.
That includes veteran defensive lineman DJ Reader, who came to the Lions on a two-year contract worth $27 million prior to the 2024 season. Maakaron predicted that Reader would not return, even though he expressed a hope to return to Detroit.
“I’d love to be here, love the guys, love the coaches, so we’ll see, you never know how free agency works out,” Reader said, via the Detroit Free Press. “They got some other stuff they got to take care of so I’m sure it’s more important than me right now. You never know how that shakes out, but I’d love to be here. I’ve enjoyed my time here.”
Reader started 31 games over the last two seasons, making 51 total tackles. After having three sacks in the 2024 season as the Lions finished the regular season 15-2, he didn’t bring as much pass rush in 2025 and recorded no sacks.
DJ Reader’s Hidden Value
Reader’s value to the Lions is often difficult to measure on the stat sheet. His job has been to occupy offensive linemen and open up lanes for teammates. Lou Anarumo, his defensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals, summed up Reader’s value to a team.
“D.J. is a hard guy to replace,” Anarumo told Cincinnati reporters last month at the NFL Scouting Combine, via Cincinnati Bengals Talk. “Hopefully, we don’t have to, but he’s such a great locker room guy to start with and then just what he does inside, in the interior of the defense, he just controls blocks. It’s a lot of things that people don’t see. You can’t look at D.J. Reader in that position and say let me look at his numbers. Even though he has good numbers for the position, he is just dominant when it comes to taking on blocks, taking on double teams, and not getting moved. And that allows other people to make plays, and when you don’t have that, it creates other issues.”
Despite Reader’s value, the Lions could decide to prioritize other positions in free agency. The team often struggled to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks, especially after star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury in 2024.
The team could also be motivated to make some changes after a disappointing season in 2025, which includes three consecutive losses to drop them out of playoff contention.
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