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PFF Ranks DJ Reader, B.J. Hill Among NFL's Top Defensive Tackles

The Bengals have a nice duo in the middle of its defense.
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CINCINNATI — The Bengals had two interior maulers land on PFF's top defensive tackle ranking this offseason. Veterans DJ Reader (No. 9) and B.J. Hill (No. 30) cracked the top-32 list.

Reader has established himself as arguably the best nose tackle in the NFL over the past two seasons.

“Reader plays a vital role in Lou Anarumo’s defense, highlighted by his 85.2 PFF grade in 2022,” Gordon McGuinness wrote. “As a run defender, he has earned grades of 69.0 or better since 2017. He produced a career-high 84.1 PFF pass-rush grade in 2022, registering 32 pressures from 310 pass-rushing snaps.”

Reader's interior running mate continues to prove he was a trade steal from the Giants with his consistent play in the middle of Lou Anarumo's defense.

"Hill was another smart free agency addition by the Bengals, a good all-around player on the interior of their defensive line," McGuinness wrote. "Through five seasons in the league, he has never finished with a PFF run-defense grade lower than 65.0. He is coming off a 2022 campaign in which he set a career-high with 45 total pressures from 615 pass-rushing snaps."

Hill is signed through 2024 on a three-year, $30 million deal. Meanwhile, Reader is up for a new deal at the end of this season as the price for elite defensive tackles continues to increase.

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