Bengals' DJ Reader carted off field vs. Vikings
The heart of the Cincinnati Bengals' defense may have played his last snap in stripes.On the second play of the team's Week 15 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, nose tackle DJ Reader injured his right knee and had to be carted off the field.The Bengals soon declared Reader out for the remainder of the game. […]
The heart of the Cincinnati Bengals' defense may have played his last snap in stripes.
On the second play of the team's Week 15 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings, nose tackle DJ Reader injured his right knee and had to be carted off the field.
The Bengals soon declared Reader out for the remainder of the game.
Reader got tangled up taking on a double team, something he does better than almost everyone at his position, and went to the ground. He would stay down after trying to get up on his own power. Players around him knew pretty soon it wasn't great, and the cart came out for the 29-year old player.
The impact of Reader's absence was immediate. Minnesota ran right down Cincinnati's throat for a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown that included seven runs and 30 hard yards for running back Ty Chandler. The drive concluded with Chandler finding the end zone to take a 7-3 lead over the Bengals.
Reader is not only a phenomenal interior run defender, he's light years better than anyone the Bengals have behind him on the depth chart.
He's also on the last year of his contract and is scheduled to enter free agency this offseason. If this injury is serious enough, he may've played his last snap of the season, and of his Bengals career.
Josh Tupou and Zach Carter will split reps to make up for Reader's injury, and the Bengals will have to survive without arguably their best player.
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