Detroit Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader voiced his support for a former teammate who has an unsettled contract situation with his current team.
The Detroit Lions’ current edge rusher situation has made them a popular landing spot for just about every high-profile edge that has even potentially been available this offseason.
Just about all of those players have either signed extensions with their teams or found new homes in free agency.
There is a major exception, though.
Trey Hendrickson has yet to settle his contract issues with the Cincinnati Bengals.
That has made him a popular name when it comes to potential trade targets for the Lions.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle D.J. Reader
Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
While a move remains unlikely, one of their players has now chimed in on Hendrickson’s situation.
While speaking to the media, D.J. Reader shared his support for Hendrickson.
It’s been a little quieter, because he’s dealing with that and you want to give him space to deal with that however he wishes to. But I’m just supportive, I think everybody should get paid what they want to get paid. You know, everybody’s got opinions on what they want to get paid and if that’s what you want, you’ve got to get after it. You know, he’s a good player, plays really, really hard, led the league in sacks last year. So, I’m sure he’s looking at things a certain way, and wants to get that money and they’re looking at it on their end and don’t want to pay him. I’m sure it’ll work itself out.
Reader is a former teammate of Hendrickson’s. They played together with the Bengals from 2021 to 2023 before Reader joined the Lions in free agency.
Hendrickson is coming off of consecutive seasons where he posted 17.5 sacks, which has put him on the wish list of just about every fanbase whose team finds themself in need of a pass rush improvement.
Now he has received support from his quarterback. He’s gotten support from a former teammate.
Unfortunately, he just hasn’t gotten what he’s looking for from the Bengals.
The Lions don’t seem to be the team that is going to give him what he wants, but there certainly must be a team out there who will.
