Alexander Wilson
Trading Dexter Lawrence opened a hole in the middle of the New York Giants’ defensive line that Shelby Harris and Leki Fotu are not going to fill. Those are fine veteran additions for depth. They are not answers. Harris hasn’t been a legit starter-caliber player in years and Fotu has never commanded the kind of attention Lawrence brought to a game plan. John Harbaugh built his reputation in Baltimore on physical, disciplined defense, and what the Giants have on the interior right now doesn’t meet that standard.
The player who can actually move the needle is DJ Reader, and he’s currently sitting on the open market after the Detroit Lions let him walk.
What Reader Brings
Reader is 31 years old, which means the Giants aren’t signing him to a long-term foundational deal. That’s not the ask. The ask is for a reliable, experienced starter who can hold the interior together while Abdul Carter and Brian Burns collapse the pocket from the edges. Last season with Detroit, Reader played 583 snaps with 20 pressures, 18 tackles, and a 6.3% missed tackle rate. That missed tackle rate is elite. He is not a guy who gets in position and then lets the ball carrier escape. He finishes.
Historically, Reader has been one of the most dependable run defenders at his position across the entire league. He commands double teams on the interior, which is the same quality that made Lawrence so valuable even when his individual pressure numbers weren’t at peak levels. When an interior lineman draws two blockers, every edge rusher on the roster gets a cleaner path. Reader does that.
He’s not Dexter Lawrence. Nobody available is. But he significantly closes the gap between what the Giants have now and what they need.
The Cap Situation Is the Problem
The Giants have approximately $6 million in cap space once the draft class contracts are signed, and that number needs to carry some cushion into the season for in-season roster moves and injuries. Signing Reader, who is likely asking for something in the range of $4-8 million annually based on his market value after Calais Campbell returned to Baltimore, means Joe Schoen has to get creative before this happens.
A restructure or two on existing contracts could free up enough space. A surprise cut isn’t out of the question if Schoen identifies a contract where the dead cap hit is manageable. The Giants have done this kind of financial maneuvering before and will do it again if the target is worth it. Reader is worth it.
Harbaugh’s defense requires interior stability. Without it, opposing offenses will run directly at the guards and center all season, and the edge pass rush that should be the strength of this unit becomes neutralized because the middle of the line is getting walked back on every play. Harris and Fotu are not enough to prevent that. Reader is.
Get the deal done.
More about:New York Giants
