As expected, it hasn’t taken long for new Cincinnati Bengals defensive star D.J. Reader to capture the attention of his teammates.
Reader, one of free agency’s biggest signings — and up-and-coming defensive linemen in the NFL — already has someone like Sam Hubbard singing his praise, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“We’ve added a bunch of pieces and it was nice to meet everyone face-to-face. I’m really excited about the guys we brought in. (Reader is) going to bring a lot to the table. He looked confident. He looked like he knew what he was doing. I’m really excited to play with him. We’ve been working together a little bit and he’s really humble, a really hard worker. Just come in every day and make our team better. And we’re really happy to have him.”
This isn’t the first time Hubbard has seen Reader. Per the writeup, the two linked up for workouts when the free-agent signee was previously in town.
But Hubbard’s comments stem from the team’s first training camp practice and walkthrough, which is quite a bit different from just working out together.
There, Reader easily stood out for his presence and approach, which is something Zac Taylor and Co. emphasized when talking about why they brought him aboard in the first place.
The Bengals won’t don pads until mid-August. When they do, rest assured fans will hear plenty more about the new defensive centerpiece.
