Cornerback D.J. Reed just finished another strong season with the New York Jets and should capitalize with a sizable pay bump. A fifth-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Kansas State product overcame his humble origins to establish himself as one of the league’s better cornerbacks. Starting and appearing in 14 games last year, the seven-year veteran finished the season with 11 passes defended, one sack, 64 tackles, and a 70.7 PFF grade, the 32nd-best mark of 118 eligible players.
After spending three years in the Big Apple, Reed is probably the best cornerback set to hit free agency. Given the importance of the position in today’s pass-happy NFL, the 28-year-old could leave the rebuilding New York Jets for one of his many suitors. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, “roughly 10 teams” have a glaring need at cornerback and will aggressively pursue the star free agent. While Fowler doesn’t name any specific teams, it’s safe to assume the Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, and Los Angeles Chargers will be active bidders.
Fowler: “Roughly 10 Teams” Hoping to Sign D.J. Reed From the Jets
It’s hard to miss the playoffs when you have Joe Burrow at quarterback and Ja’Marr Chase at wide receiver, but the Cincinnati Bengals found a way to achieve the impossible in 2024. While Burrow started the season slow, he played like an MVP down the stretch while Ja’Marr Chase had the best season of his storied career. However, it didn’t matter, as Cincinnati’s disastrous defense couldn’t stop anyone. Overall, the unit ranked 27th in EPA/play despite the strong efforts of star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson.
Cincinnati shares a division with Lamar Jackson and a conference with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, so they must improve the defense. Currently equipped with over $46.5 million in cap space, the team has the financial resources to take D.J. Reed from the Jets if they don’t re-sign Tee Higgins. While Burrow is publicly campaigning to retain the star wide receiver, Cincinnati probably won’t match the top market offers other teams can make. Reed should be cheaper than Higgins and addresses a much larger position of need on this defense.
Other Fits
The Carolina Panthers spent the previous offseason trying to fix their offense, and that mission was a success. The offensive line is great, Bryce Young looked like a franchise quarterback down the stretch, and young playmakers Xavier Legette and Jalen Coker showed promise. However, these positive developments came at the expense of the defense, as the unit was one of the worst in the league by every metric. Pairing D.J. Reed with Pro Bowler Jaycee Horn should shore up the secondary, especially if the team can retain impending free agent Mike Jackson.
The Los Angeles Chargers, meanwhile, could lose impending free agent cornerbacks Kristian Fulton and Asante Samuel. Fulton played well last year, but Samuel could leave after an injury-plagued campaign. Even if Fulton returns, the Chargers share a division with Patrick Mahomes and promising young quarterback Bo Nix, so they could use another star defensive back in the secondary. Fortunately, they have over $63 million in cap space and should be able to steal D.J. Reed from the Jets.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – Imagn Images
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