The Cincinnati Bengals paid up big to land D.J. Reader in free agency.
Now Reader’s already paying them back.
Reader, one of the highest-paid defensive linemen in the league, understands rushing the passer is a luxury and he’s all-in on earning the right within Cincinnati’ scheme.
From Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com:
“I know there’s a big emphasis on stopping the run. (Eason) does a good job making sure that we understand the run support. You have to earn the right to rush the passer. He does a really good job of communicating that to guys.
He knows what it means to play and grind. You can always respect a coach like that who has done it for a long time and was right there in the transition of what it is today. The mobile quarterbacks, spreading it out, take your shots.”
Reader doesn’t have any problems getting tough against the run of course — he wouldn’t have had an 86.7 grade at PFF last year otherwise. But he also put up seven pressures and a handful of sacks as one of the league’s better interior disruptors.
While the on-field stuff is critical when it comes to Reader, quotes like the above and the example he’s setting in the all-virtual meetings this offseason mesh well with Cincinnati’s quest for high-character guys and leaders.
Reader next to Geno Atkins sounds terrifying for opposing offenses, particularly quarterbacks. But hearing about his priorities and buying into boosting the run defense sure doesn’t hurt at this stage of the offseason.
