The Detroit Lions chose to extend a free agent contract to veteran cornerback D.J. Reed on the initial day teams could contact outside free agents.
Detroit’s secondary faced a setback earlier in the day when Carlton Davis chose to accept a tempting contract offer from the New England Patriots, departing from the back-to-back NFC North division champions
Various reports indicate that Reed’s agreement with the Lions is valued at as much as $48 million for three years.
Reed, 28, was chosen in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the San Francisco 49ers. The seven-year veteran spent his final three seasons with the New York Jets. Since joining the league, the skilled defensive back has tallied six interceptions, 51 passes defended, and 414 total tackles.
Examining Reed’s 2024 campaign with the Jets, the 5-foot-9 cornerback excelled at compelling tight window throws and achieved a superior passer rating against compared to Sauce Gardner. He received a 70.7 PFF coverage score and permitted a 97.1 passer rating allowed.
Detroit consistently aims for their defensive backs to perform robustly in both man coverage and against the run.
While playing with the Jets, Reed achieved 220 tackles, recorded two forced fumbles, and made seven tackles for loss.
As per CBS Sports, which placed Reed as the eighth best NFL free agent, “D.J. Reed could be viewed as the leading cornerback available, yet some league executives believe he may be slightly overrated.” He’s a solid player who will earn elite-player pay. He’s an energetic corner who stands his ground, which is a positive trait.
He showed a talent for executing strong press coverage effectively, permitting only 40 yards on 96 snaps in press coverage, as reported by NFL Pro.
Reed is likely to be a great match playing next to Terrion Arnold on the outside. Ennis Rakestraw and Amik Robertson provide Kelvin Sheppard alternatives when facing opposing teams’ offenses.
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