Colts named best landing spot for top remaining free agent defender
· Yahoo Sports
The Indianapolis Colts were named a "best landing spot" for one of the top remaining free agent defenders.
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Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus recently selected destinations for the top remaining free agents. When it came to defensive tackle DJ Reader, he was paired with the Colts.
"Adding Reader would give the Colts defense a key piece familiar with the system and bolster a defense that struggled against interior runs," Cameron wrote. "Indianapolis finished the 2025 campaign ranked 27th in PFF run-defense grade (53.8) when facing A and B gap runs."
Reader is currently ranked as the third-best free agent defender still available on Gregg Rosenthal's big board.
Reader spent four seasons in Cincinnati from 2020 through 2023, playing under Lou Anarumo. That familiarity with his defense would help Reader hit the ground running.
His most productive years as a pass rusher came from 2021 to 2023, when he generated 30-plus pressures each year. In 2025, Reader recorded 20 pressures. Against the run is where Reader has often made an impact.
"While playing under Anarumo in Cincinnati, Reader put together the strongest stretch of his career, earning an 82.0-plus PFF overall grade in 2022 and 2023," Cameron added. "Before his departure, Anarumo had high praise for Reader, both on the field and in the locker room."
Does signing DJ Reader make sense for the Colts?
Adding more depth to the interior defensive line is never a bad thing. However, that is not where the Colts' greatest needs lie currently.
This offseason alone, the Colts acquired Colby Wooden in a trade and signed Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery. This trio joins DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Adetomiwa Adebawore.
Not to say that upgrades still can't be made, but there are bigger issues -- like at linebacker and edge rusher -- for the Colts to tend to.
Reader doesn't provide a long-term option at tackle either, which is what the Colts really need at this position, with many of the players currently under contract set to be free agents in 2027.
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: NFL free agency: Colts named top landing spot for DJ Reader