Eagles NFC East rival fills glaring need with major defensive addition

It was probably a foregone conclusion that no team was happier to see Dexter Lawrence leave the New York Giants than the Philadelphia Eagles. Somewhere, new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion had to be smiling.

Lawrence was a nightmare matchup. For years, he wrecked pockets, clogged running lanes, and made life miserable for opposing offensive lines. Now, he’s a member of the Cincinnati Bengals, and for a brief moment, it felt like the Eagles had finally escaped one of the NFC East’s most disruptive defenders.

That relief didn’t last long because Big Blue clearly had something up its sleeve.

The Giants fill a massive hole by finding their answer quickly

The Giants have announced that they landed veteran defensive tackle D.J. Reader, a move that immediately plugs one of the biggest holes on their roster. Reader may not be Lawrence, but dismissing him would be a mistake.

He's one of the more respected interior defenders in football, a veteran capable of creating problems against both the run and pass. Eagles fans already know that firsthand. Philadelphia saw him up close during last season's ugly slugfest against the Detroit Lions, a game where Reader helped make things uncomfortable all night long.

That’s the type of presence New York would be missing after moving on from Dexter Lawrence. Here's why this matters for Philadelphia. The Eagles still pride themselves on winning in the trenches, but interior pressure gave them issues at times last season. Injuries along the offensive line didn't help, and consistency wasn't always there. Now, the Giants are rebuilding the exact area Philadelphia hoped would soften after Lawrence's exit. That's significant, especially in a division where games are still decided by physicality more often than flash.