D.J. Reader will reportedly sign with the Cincinnati Bengals. The team reached an agreement with the now-former Houston Texan on a four-year deal worth up to $53 million, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

As Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle noted, the deal is the highest contract ever handed out to a nose tackle:

The massive defensive tackle (6-foot-3, 347 pounds) was a fifth-round pick out of Clemson in 2016, and has been a stalwart on the starting defensive line for Houston for the past three and a half seasons. Reader has emerged as one of the game's top space-eaters during that time.

The defensive line-deficient Denver Broncos were reportedly going “all-in” on Reader, but evidently lost out to the Bengals, who desperately need some run stopping, as well. Cincinnati — coming off a 2-14 campaign — fielded the league's worst rushing defense in 2019, surrendering an average of 148.9 yards per game on the ground. Only three teams yielded more yards to their opponents.

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The franchise hopes to turn the page next season with the impending selection of ex-LSU quarterback Joe Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Reader has posted 6.5 sacks in his career but is mainly appreciated as a versatile and dependable run defender in the middle. In 2019, he started 15 games for the AFC South-winning Houston and recorded 52 combined tackles and improved his impact as a pass rusher, too, registering 13 quarterback hits.

Spotrac estimated Reader's market value at $12 million annually.