While all the attention is focused on the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens will still be looking to fill out the depth of their roster through free agency. As always, there will be a flurry of veteran signings set to occur soon after the draft.
The Ravens have been in the market for an interior defensive lineman over the last month. After a visit in late March, it appeared that D.J. Reader was all over their radar. Though it’s been reported that he’ll sign with a team after the draft, it doesn’t sound like that’ll be with Baltimore.
After the New York Giants traded Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 pick, they are zeroing in on the same guy the Ravens were after: D.J. Reader. He’s expected to sign with the Giants in the coming weeks.
The Giants are are reportedly expected to sign veteran DT D.J. Reader after the draft, as it will protect the comp pick formula, per @NYPost_Schwartz.
— Doug Rush (@TheDougRush) April 20, 2026
The Giants initially wanted to sign Reader and pair him with Dexter Lawrence, but Lawrence is now on the Bengals following the… pic.twitter.com/YTM0F9H6md
Baltimore Ravens expected to lose out on free agent after New York Giants’ trade
This is just another way new Giants’ head coach John Harbaugh has been a thorn in Baltimore’s side this offseason. He’s played a part in bringing five former Ravens in free agency, just improved an AFC North rival by dealing them a star player in Lawrence, and with this news, it seems he’s taking a free agent option away from the Ravens. Obviously, he’s not the general manager, but he’s definitely factored into these decisions.
Baltimore’s potential Reader plan would’ve worked out really well. The team will hopefully have Nnamdi Madubuike back, and Travis Jones has been a rising star over the past two years. They were missing one more piece, and Reader, as a 128-game starter across his 10-year career, would’ve plugged into that last starting spot perfectly. John Jenkins would’ve become a great rotational option, too.
Now, the Ravens may have to turn their attention back to the draft to fulfill that defensive line need. There’s a chance Reader could’ve taken that need off the board, but with him likely headed to the Big Apple, the interior defensive line may be a spot they’ll look to address early. Their draft plans may be shifting slightly with less than a week left before the event.
Two draft targets that Baltimore has been linked to are Peter Woods (Clemson) and Caleb Banks (Florida). Each of them has had first-round hype, but has also heard some early second-round talk.
Interior defensive line might not be the top need, and selecting one in the first round could be considered unnecessary. However, if they want a backup plan to Reader, Woods or Banks could be the guy. They’d make an already strong defensive line look elite.
Add us as a preferred source on Google