While the Seahawks were able to retain one of their starting cornerbacks on Monday, D.J. Reed will be taking his services to the Big Apple in 2022.
According to Connor Hughes of the Athletic, Reed has agreed to terms with the New York Jets on a three-year, $33 million contract. The move to the East Coast will reunite the former Kansas State standout with coach Robert Saleh, who was the 49ers defensive coordinator when he came into the league as a sixth-round pick in 2018.
Reed, 25, proved to be a revelation for Seattle after the team claimed him off waivers from San Francisco two years ago. After suffering a torn pectoral muscle in an offseason workout, many speculated he wouldn't play any snaps during the 2020 season, but he made a rapid recovery and wound up starting eight games for the NFC West champions. He also contributed as a punt returner, bolstering the team's special teams unit down the stretch.
Entering the final year of his contract, Reed opened last season as a starter at left cornerback and struggled in the first three games, allowing a pair of touchdowns in a loss to the Vikings. But after flipping back to his natural right cornerback position in Week 4, few players played at a higher level.
During the last 15 weeks of the season, per Pro Football Focus, he ranked second among qualified corners in completion percentage against (47.5), 14th in passer rating (67.3), second in yards allowed after the catch (61), and yielded no touchdowns compared to two interceptions and five pass breakups. Remaining a willing and capable run defender, he also finished eighth among cornerbacks in solo tackles (43) during that span.
In New York, Reed should be primed to start right away opposite of former Virginia cornerback Bryce Hall, immediately improving a secondary that struggled mightily last season.
Meanwhile, even after re-signing Sidney Jones on a one-year deal on Monday, Seattle now has major question marks to address at cornerback once again following Reed's departure. As things stand, Jones will be penciled in as one of the team's starters, while second-year cornerback Tre Brown will be the favorite to start opposite him if he fully recovers from a patellar tendon injury. Behind them, depth is limited with Bless Austin not being tendered as a restricted free agent and John Reid being the only other player with notable regular season experience on the roster.
Holding the No. 9 pick in April's draft after agreeing to trade quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos, the Seahawks may consider Cincinnati's Ahmed Gardner or LSU's Derek Stingley Jr. as early options to replace Reed. This year's class features plenty of depth at the position and talented corners will be available when they pick twice in the second round as well.
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