The Las Vegas Raiders have been named the best fit for one veteran defensive tackle as NFL free agency has begun to slow down across the league.
The Las Vegas Raiders have been very busy this offseason, which is good news after a frustrating 3-win season.
Klint Kubiak is the new head coach after he led the Seattle Seahawks' offense to a Super Bowl win.
Tyler Linderbaum came to town as the prized free agent splash, and he will be tasked with protecting No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza for the next few years.
Meanwhile, the AFC West continues to look dangerous, and the AFC No. 1 seed Denver Broncos just acquired Jaylen Waddle on Tuesday in a blockbuster trade with the Miami Dolphins.
The Raiders seem to be done spending a lot of money right now, especially with Maxx Crosby back in Las Vegas after the Baltimore Ravens backed out of the trade in a wild turn of events.
There are still some decent free agents on the market, and although NFL free agency has slowed down big time, perhaps the Raiders will find a bargain this late into the process.
Nick Shook of NFL.com named some of the best fits for the remaining free agents, and one linked to the Raiders is veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader.
Reader being available right now is a bit of a surprise, but that seems to be due to misreading the market.
"Reader could probably find a less lucrative, rotational role with teams like Detroit, Baltimore, Buffalo or Cincinnati, but if he wants to cash in (relatively speaking) with a team that has become intriguing after a busy offseason, why not head for Las Vegas? Its current projected starter alongside Adam Butler, defensive tackle Jonah Laulu, has just two seasons of experience and ranked 126th out of 134 interior defensive linemen in 2025, per Pro Football Focus," Shook wrote.
Reader could look for a lesser role on a contending team, but maybe he wants to prove himself.
Reader turns 32 in July, so he is on the wrong side of that mark.
He was a fifth-round pick by the Houston Texans in the 2016 NFL Draft, and he spent four years with the Texans before spending four years with the Bengals and the past two years with the Detroit Lions.
The good news is that he played 32 of 34 regular-season games over the past two seasons, so he is reliable and still productive.
The Raiders' defense has added plenty of talent, including Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, but adding a veteran such as Reader to the defensive line could be a wise move for Las Vegas.