DJ Reader gone after this season

[*SHRacerX*]

(05-05-2023, 08:25 PM)casear2727 Wrote: I love DJ as much as anyone and have actually spoken with him multiple times as he and my son have been friends since college and they live close to each other. But......

The kid is much more valued than DJ as rushing the passer from the IDL is very rare.  DJ is an awesome run stopper, maybe the best, in a passing league.  But this is like comparing Micah Parsons to Sam Hubbard

There were 4 interior defenders that had "elite" overall grades in 2022:  In order:  Chris Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Aaron Donald, and Quinnen Williams.  DJ Reader was rated #6 overall, with an overall grade of 85.  DJ also had a pass rush rating of 84.1, the same as Quinnen Williams.  It isn't that he doesn't offer a pass rush, but he prevents the QB from stepping up and that helps the outside rush get home.  He may not have gaudy sack stats but he is a very highly rated interior defensive lineman. 

Dexter was also rated just a 68.6 in the NFL in 2021, while Reader was still in the high 70s.  Dexter is a beast, no doubt, but it does feel a bit like he turned it on for his contract year, while DJ has been the model of consistency.

I don't like the Hubbard vs. Parsons analogy because they don't play the same position.  Parsons has incredible versatility and is one of the best defensive players overall while I see Hubbard as mid-tier.  DJ is far from mid-tier, and Lawrence isn't head and shoulders above the likes of Jones, Donald, and Williams.