The Detroit Lions’ newest player is prepared to get “nasty” in the trenches.
On March 15, defensive tackle . Reader made a free agency visit to Detroit and was offered a two-year contract worth up to $27 million. After signing the contract, Reader told reporters he was eager to go after the Lions’ defence because he liked their gritty style.
That grit, that nastiness, I mean, if you’re a D-lineman, you want to play in an environment like that,” Reader said, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. “Guys are going to fly around, play hard, their coaches are tough-nosed, (coach Dan Campbell’s) demanding, he’s not disrespectful. That’s amazing. You want those types of things. As a player, if you don’t want that type of stuff, then you don’t want to get better. I think being here, and feeling the energy here, it’s definitely a place where people want to come to get better, and that’s from top down.
As Rogers noted, Reader is expected to take on a big role with the Lions, playing alongside Alim McNeill on the defensive line. Though Reader has struggled with injuries over the past few seasons including a knee injury that forced him to miss six games in 2022, the former fifth-round pick said he’s confident in himself and ability to perform at a high level.
Rogers noted that he was able to return from a quad injury to play in the Super Bowl, even registering a sack against Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the loss.
Last quad injury, came back, went to the Super Bowl, got a sack in the Super Bowl, balled out,” Reader said. “It’s the same confidence here. That’s why I tell you that you never let people paint the vision of what you see in the mirror. Never let anybody paint your picture. You know who you are. You see it every day. Look at yourself, you know who you are, feel confident in that. I couldn’t be more confident in where I’m going to be.
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