Cowboys and Vikings named top landing spots for 128-game starting defender
The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings have been connected to a Detroit Lions free agent defender as Week 2 of free agency wraps up.
Cowboys and Vikings named top landing spots for 128-game starting defender originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings could be interested in signing a veteran defender who is still on the free agency market.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox links the Cowboys and Vikings as the best fits for Detroit Lions free agent defensive tackle D. J. Reader.
"D. J. Reader will turn 32 this summer and isn't the sort of attacking interior pass-rusher that many teams want at defensive tackle.
However, he remains a high-end starter, a legitimate force against the run, and a very durable defender," Knox said. Reader started 17 games for the Lions in 2025, tallying 15 defensive stops and 20 quarterback pressures . The 31-year-old has never been a prolific pass rusher, but has made his mark as a gritty run-stuffing nose tackle.