Feb. 11, 2026, 7:00 p.m. ET
The Cincinnati Bengals made a few key mistakes that stick out in a big way when examining the failures of the last few years.
Letting big names like Jessie Bates and DJ Reader walk out the door is a big one.
A reunion with Bates isn’t happening for many reasons. But Reader is a free agent who might be open to a return this offseason.
Greg Auman of Fox Sports ranked Reader as the 86th overall free agent this offseason and predicted a reunion:
“Reader, 31, just finished a two-year, $22 million contract with Detroit, starting every game as nose tackle. There’s talk he could return to Cincinnati, where he played from 2020-23, and the Bengals could use his presence up front after finishing dead last against the run and bottom three in points and yards allowed in 2025. In his prime with the Bengals, he was graded as a top-10 defensive lineman, and he’s not that anymore, but could still be a match in the $6 million range.”
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When the Bengals originally let Reader walk, age and a recent injury played a role in the decision.
Right now, the contracts of both BJ Hill and TJ Slaton make them look like cut candidates. If the Bengals see Reader as a rotational upgrade (never mind a locker room leadership upgrade), perhaps it starts a string of related moves.
Regardless, the interior of the defensive line is a glaring weakness the Bengals could draft as early as Round 1 while they wait for Kris Jenkins Jr. to emerge further. Bringing back Reader wouldn’t make a big dent in that process.
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