Looking at Pros and Cons of DJ Reader as a trade target

[conner01]

Didn’t know he had issues against the run.

If that’s the case he isn’t what’s needed.

He doesn’t. He’s good against the run just not elite

 

[Jarntt]

I know there has been a lot of talk this off-season about acquiring burly nose tackle DJ Reade in a potential trade. I wouldn’t mind seeing that if the price was right because he would certainly be an upgrade from what we currently have. His skill set is different from Osa Odighizhua so he might be a big help inside against the run.

BUT…Anyone thinking Reader is an instant plug and play that makes all our run defense problems go away is looking at him with blue fan glasses.

Here is a short bio and stat look at DJ Reader:

• He will be 31 at beginning of the season.
• Reader has played for 3 NFL teams in his 10 seasons. Houston (drafted him in 5th round in 2016), Cincy and now Det.
• He has been a starter in all but one season and has been a decent nose tackle that can clog the middle most of the time for all three teams he’s played for.
• His best season was 2019 when he was a second team All Pro in Houston.
• He has been mostly healthy but has had two injuries of note in the last 5 seasons.
  • In 2020 he suffered a serious quad injury in game 5 that placed him on IR for remainder of the season with the bengals, missing 11 games.
  • In 2022, he suffered a knee injury that wasn’t serious enough to cost him the season, but he missed 6 games.
• Stat wise he’s slightly better than average.
  • In 9 seasons he has 12.5 sacks.
  • In his career he has 27 TFLs, about 3 per season.
  • His PFF scores for his career place him about 65 which is above average, although interestingly his run defense score is 61.

So here are the pros and cons as I see it:
PROS

• His stats show him to be a mostly durable slightly above average DI.
• He will be 31 this season. Not young, but not too old.
• Has above average PFF scores for his career.
• Is an above average pass rusher for an inside guy.
• Other than Odighizhua, he’s better than any DTs we have.

CONS

• He has missed 17 games in the last 5 years.
• He is good not great against the run.
• His TFL numbers have diminished as he ages.
• He alone cannot fix the run stop woes we’ve had.
• Contract has been a little too high in Det which is why they seem interested in moving on.

If the price is right, he is probably a decent option. Although he cannot be considered a long term solution. Seems like this FO might have already made a move on him if they were serious.

Another point to make on him being an upgrade since you brought up PFF.
2024 Reader PFF score 65.4
2024 Mazi PFF score 34.8

I'm not a huge believer in PFF scores for a DT because the PFF staff doesn't know the what the players particular assignment is on each play, but this is so drastic that I think it is telling. So for me it's not necessarily about looking for a Vita Vea type talent, it's about our particular team getting better and I do think that would happen with Reader over Mazi this year and I know it would happen if Mazi doesn't improve by a lot over his first two seasons.

Is Reader really available? Are we willing to pay the price? Is he still going to be as good as he has been another year older? All unknowns of course.

 

[75boyz]

Another point to make on him being an upgrade since you brought up PFF.
2024 Reader PFF score 65.4
2024 Mazi PFF score 34.8

I'm not a huge believer in PFF scores for a DT because the PFF staff doesn't know the what the players particular assignment is on each play, but this is so drastic that I think it is telling.

Yeah, I hear ya man.

Its like even if you dont fully go all in on support of how PFF does their numbers...
When you run across such a drastic difference in the numbers comparing 2 players of the same position, you gotta at least acknowledge how bad the lower rated player is in comparison.

So yeah, Reader's wayyyyy better in that context.

 

[Runwildboys]

I know there has been a lot of talk this off-season about acquiring burly nose tackle DJ Reade in a potential trade. I wouldn’t mind seeing that if the price was right because he would certainly be an upgrade from what we currently have. His skill set is different from Osa Odighizhua so he might be a big help inside against the run.

BUT…Anyone thinking Reader is an instant plug and play that makes all our run defense problems go away is looking at him with blue fan glasses.

Here is a short bio and stat look at DJ Reader:

• He will be 31 at beginning of the season.
• Reader has played for 3 NFL teams in his 10 seasons. Houston (drafted him in 5th round in 2016), Cincy and now Det.
• He has been a starter in all but one season and has been a decent nose tackle that can clog the middle most of the time for all three teams he’s played for.
• His best season was 2019 when he was a second team All Pro in Houston.
• He has been mostly healthy but has had two injuries of note in the last 5 seasons.
  • In 2020 he suffered a serious quad injury in game 5 that placed him on IR for remainder of the season with the bengals, missing 11 games.
  • In 2022, he suffered a knee injury that wasn’t serious enough to cost him the season, but he missed 6 games.
• Stat wise he’s slightly better than average.
  • In 9 seasons he has 12.5 sacks.
  • In his career he has 27 TFLs, about 3 per season.
  • His PFF scores for his career place him about 65 which is above average, although interestingly his run defense score is 61.

So here are the pros and cons as I see it:
PROS

• His stats show him to be a mostly durable slightly above average DI.
• He will be 31 this season. Not young, but not too old.
• Has above average PFF scores for his career.
• Is an above average pass rusher for an inside guy.
• Other than Odighizhua, he’s better than any DTs we have.

CONS

• He has missed 17 games in the last 5 years.
• He is good not great against the run.
• His TFL numbers have diminished as he ages.
• He alone cannot fix the run stop woes we’ve had.
• Contract has been a little too high in Det which is why they seem interested in moving on.

If the price is right, he is probably a decent option. Although he cannot be considered a long term solution. Seems like this FO might have already made a move on him if they were serious.

As for his time missed in 2020, is it possible that the pandemic gave him reason to miss more time than he otherwise would have, or was the quad injury really that bad?

 

[gtb1943]

They make a pill for that..

suppositories are no fun

 

[CATCH17]

We need a Nickel Corner or a Safety.

Dallas should consider trading some Guard or Defensive End depth.

 

[gtb1943]

First I’ve heard of Cowboys interest in Reader.

day late and a dollar short as its been talked about for weeks in various publications

 

[CTcowboy203]

Having a con being he alone can’t fix our run issues is ridiculous. No one expects him alone to fix the issues- however he can improve them. How many DTs come in and immediately fix this d’s issues? It takes a team effort.

However, if you can bring him in and he’s a solid vet and plays at an above average level that’s fine

 

[Runwildboys]

Having a con being he alone can’t fix our run issues is ridiculous. No one expects him alone to fix the issues- however he can improve them. How many DTs come in and immediately fix this d’s issues? It takes a team effort.

However, if you can bring him in and he’s a solid vet and plays at an above average level that’s fine

I'm guessing he means it's a con, in that we need someone who can make a big difference.

 

[fivetwos]

He doesn’t. He’s good against the run just not elite

I really don’t know. Just going off Bobs OP.

Of course he would be an upgrade, and they honestly need more talent there so badly that I’d applaud it loudly either way.

 

[Bobhaze]

Having a con being he alone can’t fix our run issues is ridiculous. No one expects him alone to fix the issues- however he can improve them. How many DTs come in and immediately fix this d’s issues? It takes a team effort.

However, if you can bring him in and he’s a solid vet and plays at an above average level that’s fine

CT I mentioned that in the OP in response to a common opinion I was seeing around here that implied acquiring Reader would really shore up our run stop needs.

He would certainly help but I was just pointing out that the problem is bigger than one position or player.

As for his time missed in 2020, is it possible that the pandemic gave him reason to miss more time than he otherwise would have, or was the quad injury really that bad?

I don’t know the actual answer to that question Runny…all I know is he missed 11 games in 2020 and the quad injury was the “listed” cause.

 

[conner01]

I really don’t know. Just going off Bobs OP.

Of course he would be an upgrade, and they honestly need more talent there so badly that I’d applaud it loudly either way.

I kinda said same thing. He’s good not great. But he’s better than anyone we have on the roster. We do have guys who can rush from the DT spot. There we should be even better than last year and I think we will be better opposite of Micah. The run game is gonna be about the LB coming up to stop the run. Wish we had kept Kendrick another year but we do have some young prospects who are very athletic for sure

 

[XXLMike]

Get it done

 

[RS12]

Other than giving up a pick since this team is already short their third rounder and should be drafting no later than the middle of each round, I dont see many cons.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I know there has been a lot of talk this off-season about acquiring burly nose tackle DJ Reade in a potential trade. I wouldn’t mind seeing that if the price was right because he would certainly be an upgrade from what we currently have. His skill set is different from Osa Odighizhua so he might be a big help inside against the run.

BUT…Anyone thinking Reader is an instant plug and play that makes all our run defense problems go away is looking at him with blue fan glasses.

Here is a short bio and stat look at DJ Reader:

• He will be 31 at beginning of the season.
• Reader has played for 3 NFL teams in his 10 seasons. Houston (drafted him in 5th round in 2016), Cincy and now Det.
• He has been a starter in all but one season and has been a decent nose tackle that can clog the middle most of the time for all three teams he’s played for.
• His best season was 2019 when he was a second team All Pro in Houston.
• He has been mostly healthy but has had two injuries of note in the last 5 seasons.
  • In 2020 he suffered a serious quad injury in game 5 that placed him on IR for remainder of the season with the bengals, missing 11 games.
  • In 2022, he suffered a knee injury that wasn’t serious enough to cost him the season, but he missed 6 games.
• Stat wise he’s slightly better than average.
  • In 9 seasons he has 12.5 sacks.
  • In his career he has 27 TFLs, about 3 per season.
  • His PFF scores for his career place him about 65 which is above average, although interestingly his run defense score is 61.

So here are the pros and cons as I see it:
PROS

• His stats show him to be a mostly durable slightly above average DI.
• He will be 31 this season. Not young, but not too old.
• Has above average PFF scores for his career.
• Is an above average pass rusher for an inside guy.
• Other than Odighizhua, he’s better than any DTs we have.

CONS

• He has missed 17 games in the last 5 years.
• He is good not great against the run.
• His TFL numbers have diminished as he ages.
• He alone cannot fix the run stop woes we’ve had.
• Contract has been a little too high in Det which is why they seem interested in moving on.

If the price is right, he is probably a decent option. Although he cannot be considered a long term solution. Seems like this FO might have already made a move on him if they were serious.

He's just another avaialble name Haze, just as all the other guys that we wanted this off season. Soon as he's gone, we'll want the next person. By your stats, he's not worth more than a 5th, but we'll give away a 2nd

 

[fivetwos]

I kinda said same thing. He’s good not great. But he’s better than anyone we have on the roster. We do have guys who can rush from the DT spot. There we should be even better than last year and I think we will be better opposite of Micah. The run game is gonna be about the LB coming up to stop the run. Wish we had kept Kendrick another year but we do have some young prospects who are very athletic for sure

The obsession with pass rushing DTs goes back to what Marinelli wanted, same as when Parcells had a long spiel over why he took backup TE Fasano in the 2nd round when they already had Witten.

Of all the philosophies to steal from former employees.

 

[Flamma]

So please explain why a legit Super Bowl contending team in Detroit is going to trade him? Im not saying they arent but unless im missing something, it doesn't make sense on their end.

I questioned this the last time his name came up. It's not even like they need the cap space. They have over 40M available. His dead cap is under 5M.

 

[Flamma]

He's just another avaialble name Haze, just as all the other guys that we wanted this off season. Soon as he's gone, we'll want the next person. By your stats, he's not worth more than a 5th, but we'll give away a 2nd

Even if we got him for a 7th, to what end? I'm not against it. He'd help. But the Cowboys aren't extending him. So a 1 year rental?

 

[Coogiguy03]

Even if we got him for a 7th, to what end? I'm not against it. He'd help. But the Cowboys aren't extending him. So a 1 year rental?

He wouldn't be the only recent 1 year rental we currently have on the team!

 

[ArtClink]

I know there has been a lot of talk this off-season about acquiring burly nose tackle DJ Reade in a potential trade. I wouldn’t mind seeing that if the price was right because he would certainly be an upgrade from what we currently have. His skill set is different from Osa Odighizhua so he might be a big help inside against the run.

BUT…Anyone thinking Reader is an instant plug and play that makes all our run defense problems go away is looking at him with blue fan glasses.

Here is a short bio and stat look at DJ Reader:

• He will be 31 at beginning of the season.
• Reader has played for 3 NFL teams in his 10 seasons. Houston (drafted him in 5th round in 2016), Cincy and now Det.
• He has been a starter in all but one season and has been a decent nose tackle that can clog the middle most of the time for all three teams he’s played for.
• His best season was 2019 when he was a second team All Pro in Houston.
• He has been mostly healthy but has had two injuries of note in the last 5 seasons.
  • In 2020 he suffered a serious quad injury in game 5 that placed him on IR for remainder of the season with the bengals, missing 11 games.
  • In 2022, he suffered a knee injury that wasn’t serious enough to cost him the season, but he missed 6 games.
• Stat wise he’s slightly better than average.
  • In 9 seasons he has 12.5 sacks.
  • In his career he has 27 TFLs, about 3 per season.
  • His PFF scores for his career place him about 65 which is above average, although interestingly his run defense score is 61.

So here are the pros and cons as I see it:
PROS

• His stats show him to be a mostly durable slightly above average DI.
• He will be 31 this season. Not young, but not too old.
• Has above average PFF scores for his career.
• Is an above average pass rusher for an inside guy.
• Other than Odighizhua, he’s better than any DTs we have.

CONS

• He has missed 17 games in the last 5 years.
• He is good not great against the run.
• His TFL numbers have diminished as he ages.
• He alone cannot fix the run stop woes we’ve had.
• Contract has been a little too high in Det which is why they seem interested in moving on.

If the price is right, he is probably a decent option. Although he cannot be considered a long term solution. Seems like this FO might have already made a move on him if they were serious.

Jerry prefers players with off the field issues.