New York Giants defensive tackle D.J. Reader may not be as big as Dexter Lawrence nor as good an athlete, but that’s not going to stop him from trying to replace the big man.
Reader, whom the Giants were eyeing even before they dealt Lawrence away before the draft in April, met with the media after the Giants’ OTA workout on Wednesday. He isn’t concerned about filling anyone’s shoes. He’s his own man.
“I’m not necessarily his replacement,” Reader said. “I think most of the conversations were just more about adding to the room, whatever was in the room. I knew it was a possibility of going through what they were going through with Dex. So that was what it was.”
At 6-foot-3 and 335 pounds, Reader is just one inch shorter and five pounds lighter than Lawrence. Over the years, he’s been nearly as impactful as Lawrence, and many feel he plays the run with the best of them. His presence in the middle of a defense opens up opportunities for those around him.
“I’ve always had good edges,” he said. “I think my edges usually have good seasons when they play with me, so it’s been good.”
Reader is just one of several defensive linemen the Giants inked this spring to bolster the unit. He likes the type of players the team is collecting, a group that can dominate up front.
“If you kind of look out there, I know y’all were at practice, we kind of got a ‘get-off-the-bus’ type of team. You look at it, there’s a bunch of big, strong, fast guys running around. That’s exciting when you’re playing on defense,” he said. “You see the special pieces on the edge. You got three edges that are proven, can play. The guys in the middle, safeties, linebackers. It’s a team you kind of want to be around.
“Then, on offense, it kind of speaks for itself. I won’t get too deep into the offensive side of the ball. That’s their thing. On the defense, you look at the guys, you see what is in your room. A lot of teams aren’t really built like that. If you can do it right and put it together, it can be special.”
The Giants may have parted ways with Lawrence and lost Roy Robertson-Harris for a few months to an Achilles injury. Still, there are a lot of veterans and youngsters champing at the bit to play in John Harbaugh and coordinator Dennard Wilson’s defense.
Counting Robertson-Harris, the Giants have 12 defensive linemen as they head into their mandatory minicamp next week. Reader was not the only free agent brought in. Over the past two months, they’ve signed Shelby Harris, Sam Roberts, Leki Fotu, Zacch Pickens and Josh Tupou to join the two holdovers from last season, Chauncey Golston and Darius Alexander.
In the draft, the Giants believe they found an immovable object in Auburn’s Bobby Jamison-Travis, a 330-pound run stopper they stole in the sixth round.
After the draft, general manager Joe Schoen added two UDFAs: Colorado’s Anquin Barnes, Jr. and Ben Barten of Wisconsin, two players who weigh in at 330 pounds.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: D.J. Reader impressed with Giants’ build: ‘Get-off-the-bus type of team’
Reporting by John Fennelly, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By John Fennelly, Giants Wire | USA TODAY Network
