DJ Reader

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-18-2023, 12:48 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I can't imagine the mental hurdle of recovering from such a brutal injury...again...on a different leg...knowing youre a free agent and possibly going to miss out on millions of dollars. It sounds awful. 

Yeah, you really hate to see it for anyone, especially one of your own.

[SunsetBengal]

(12-18-2023, 11:41 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: If the Bengals were not planning on re-signing DJ, I would think they would have drafted his replacement by now. Maybe the injury changes their plans, but I think there was mutual interest in him returning. I'm hoping we sign him to a 2 or 3 year deal, maybe a little under market to account for his injury, and then live with Tupou until he's healthy enough to start again.

He's so incredibly important to Lou's scheme. He basically makes a 7 man box an 8 man box. You can't just find that anywhere.

I agree with you that the team likely did want to keep DJ Reader around for another couple of seasons.  I think that it could still be possible, as he made a full and complete recovery from the same injury on the other leg a couple of years ago, and the front office does seem to value players who have been as instrumental to team success as Reader has.  Given the severity of the injury and his age is now a thing of significance, rather than a mega-deal with high amounts of guaranteed money, I could see the team offering him a contract a little more modest on the up front guarantees and loaded with playing time escalators.

However it works out, I'd just like to see Reader recover and play football again, even if it has to be with a team other than the Bengals.

[CJD]

(12-18-2023, 12:05 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's his second major knee injury and he's aging - not to mention he's going to miss the majority of next season. Leacing emotion out of it, I just don't see a world where it makes sense to bring him back. 

Do we know that for a fact? He has almost 9 months until the next season starts. Does his injury definitely take longer than 9 months to recover? I'm not suggesting giving him top of the market money. But considering he's coming off of an injury, I wouldn't be surprised if he accepted a hometown discount and maybe a shorter 2 year contract just to re-establish his free agent value.

(12-18-2023, 01:23 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree with you that the team likely did want to keep DJ Reader around for another couple of seasons.  I think that it could still be possible, as he made a full and complete recovery from the same injury on the other leg a couple of years ago, and the front office does seem to value players who have been as instrumental to team success as Reader has.  Given the severity of the injury and his age is now a thing of significance, rather than a mega-deal with high amounts of guaranteed money, I could see the team offering him a contract a little more modest on the up front guarantees and loaded with playing time escalators.

However it works out, I'd just like to see Reader recover and play football again, even if it has to be with a team other than the Bengals.

Yea, I am worried this radically changes our plans. Lou's defense needs that disruptor in the middle of the defense so that he can play a little more fast and loose with his safeties. If we lose Reader, he may need to move Battle into the box a lot more often in 2024, and that will just make our penchant to give up explosive passing plays even worse!

[Soonerpeace]

(12-18-2023, 12:05 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: It's his second major knee injury and he's aging - not to mention he's going to miss the majority of next season. Leacing emotion out of it, I just don't see a world where it makes sense to bring him back. 

I thought quad?

[SunsetBengal]

(12-18-2023, 02:05 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I thought quad?

Right, the report I read said tore his quad tendon.

[burreauxs]

(12-18-2023, 02:05 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I thought quad?

Your quad tendon is part of your knee so you can technically classify it as a knee injury.

[Soonerpeace]

(12-18-2023, 02:27 PM)burreauxs Wrote: Your quad tendon is part of your knee so you can technically classify it as a knee injury.

Gotcha but what is the recovery time?

[burreauxs]

(12-18-2023, 02:45 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Gotcha but what is the recovery time?

I think the year estimates are probably accurate, but we also don't know the grade of the tear. Total rupture will be longer than partial tear. The hardest part is getting gravity-resisted strength back at the knee, which is controlled by the quad. If the whole tendon ruptured, that will affect all 4 bellies of the muscle. Even with just a partial tear, it messes up the way the entire quad functions/fires, and it takes a long time to rebuild that kind of strength/stamina/endurance. 

[Whatever]

(12-18-2023, 01:23 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I agree with you that the team likely did want to keep DJ Reader around for another couple of seasons.  I think that it could still be possible, as he made a full and complete recovery from the same injury on the other leg a couple of years ago, and the front office does seem to value players who have been as instrumental to team success as Reader has.  Given the severity of the injury and his age is now a thing of significance, rather than a mega-deal with high amounts of guaranteed money, I could see the team offering him a contract a little more modest on the up front guarantees and loaded with playing time escalators.

However it works out, I'd just like to see Reader recover and play football again, even if it has to be with a team other than the Bengals.

At this point, a cheap one year deal is probably best for both parties.  If I was DJ, I would want to stick with the medical staff that helped him recover from the same injury a few years prior.  The Bengals can simply PUP him and activate him for the playoff push when he gets healthy.  

They may look at resigning Tupou and drafting a NT.  I also wouldn't be surprised if Hill sees more time at NT on padding downs and they try some of Murphy at 3Tech in passing situations to get their 4 best pass rushers on the field.

[WeezyBengal]

(12-18-2023, 02:45 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: Gotcha but what is the recovery time?

Read the article I linked - Jamal Adams had a similar injury and it took him about a year to recover. 

0% chance he's ready for camp. I'd say he won't make it back until a lot later in the season next year from what I've read. 

[WeezyBengal]

I don't understand why so many of you are against bringing in a healthy, quality FA instead of paying Reader. Just weird to me.

[BengalFanInNJ]

(12-18-2023, 12:08 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: That's my line of thinking: he came back nice and strong the last time.


1. He's never hurt his knee with us, IIRC.
2. It makes absolute sense, we would just need to not count on him from day 1 next year (he'd be put on PUP) and he'd need to be willing to take a discount (which at this point in his career and what has happened, IMO, is not out of the realm of possibility).

Something like a 2/3 year deal and draft his replacement next year, so that he takes the reigns once the contract is up.

If he does sign a team friendly deal, I agree with not really counting on him until the latter part of next season. Can you imagine if he hit rehab hard and was deemed healthy to play, and the first time he hits the field is November or so? He would be pretty damn fresh and could provide a huge spark. Heck, even if he still isn't 100%, he would be going up against a lot of linemen who would likely have a lot of bumps and bruises from the season. 

[Bengalitis]

Pay the man! He needs to be back... pay fairly. He's earn his pay.

[SunsetBengal]

(12-18-2023, 03:39 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I don't understand why so many of you are against bringing in a healthy, quality FA instead of paying Reader. Just weird to me.

I don't know that anyone is really against the team doing whatever it takes to make the squad better, as much as we just love what DJ Reader has brought to the team in his years with the club.  

Weather DJ remains with the club and returns to form or not, it has been apparent that the team would have to improve the NT position either by way of the draft or free agency, as neither Tupou and Tufele has shown the ability to be that every down NT going forward.

[Hammerstripes]

(12-18-2023, 12:19 PM)J24 Wrote: I think we will resign him ; we don't need him for a whole season just for the stretch run next season!

Don't think he will be in any shape to contribute next year.

[007BengalsFan]

Reader injured his left quad in October of 2020 and was back for the 2021 season to help push us to the Super Bowl. I dont see why he wouldnt be able to come back next year at some point. This injury is a couple of months later into the season so that is a little different than the 2020 injury.

[Soonerpeace]

(12-18-2023, 03:38 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Read the article I linked - Jamal Adams had a similar injury and it took him about a year to recover. 

0% chance he's ready for camp. I'd say he won't make it back until a lot later in the season next year from what I've read. 

Missed that. Didn’t think it would be that long. Just a hunch but I don’t think it’s as severe as Adams

[Bengalstripes9]

I wanted us to re-sign Reader as well. He's a big part of our success on defense.

With this injury and his age--and our cap situation...

I think it makes sense to find his replacement in the draft. It should be our top priority this offseason outside of player extensions.

If we can still re-sign him at a discounted rate, I'd be fine with it. But we definitely NEED to draft a replacement.
I'm hoping there is value where we pick in the 1st round.

[*jason*]

(12-18-2023, 03:39 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I don't understand why so many of you are against bringing in a healthy, quality FA instead of paying Reader. Just weird to me.

I wasn't to excited about bringing him back unless it's a team friendly deal... That was before the injury. I don't love 3rd contracts in general, and DJ gets hit by the injury bug often enough.

[M.W.]

(12-18-2023, 07:22 PM)jason Wrote: I wasn't to excited about bringing him back unless it's a team friendly deal... That was before the injury. I don't love 3rd contracts in general, and DJ gets hit by the injury bug often enough.

It seems like he stays healthy until he is not and when he is not it is a significant injury (turn quad X2).  I hate it for DJ, that was devastating.