Giants $12.5M free agent Dexter Lawrence replacement already called a 'steal' originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The New York Giants traded Dexter Lawrence II to the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason, landing the No. 10 pick in the NFL Draft, later taking Francis Mauigoa in Round 1. It was a bold and risky move for the Giants, but it could work out quite nicely. Part of why it could look good this season isn't just how Mauigoa performs, but how Lawrence's replacement plays. Bleacher Report's Alex Kay is already calling the Giants' $12.5 million replacement, former Detroit Lions DT D.J. Reader, a "steal" for the Giants thanks to his run-stuffing ability he's shown during training camp. Giants' D.J. Reader called a 'steal' as training camp standout "Considering Reader has already pitched in a strong run-stuffing tackle for a loss and a sack during one of Big Blue's training camp sessions, he's clearly on his way to having a successful 2026 campaign," Kay writes. "If New York fields a quality rush defense for the first time in over a half-decade, Reader will be a big reason for this improvement." Moving on from Lawrence is a risky move, but if this hype for Reader comes to fruition during the regular season, then the loss of the superstar DT might not feel as bad. Rader, the 6-foot-3, 330-pound defensive tackle, is 32 years old and has played in 10 seasons in the NFL with three different teams. Coincidentally enough, he was with the Bengals for four seasons, totaling three sacks and 123 total tackles with seven tackles for loss and 20 quarterback hits. MORE: Why Shedeur Sanders vs. Deshaun Watson QB competition is taking so long for Browns But over the last two seasons with the Lions, Reader put up three sacks with 51 tackles, four tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits. While he's not a top-tier defensive tackle, Kay believes he might already be a free-agent steal at the $12.5 million, two-year price tag. The reason why is his run-stuffing ability he's showcasing during training camp, which is something the Giants have been trying for a while now to resolve. Reader will need to prove his worth during the preseason and the regular season, but so far, so good for the Giants in trying to replace Lawrence's impact in the middle of the defensive line. More NFL news:
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