Versatile 49ers reserve D.J. Reed out for season

D.J. Reed won’t have to wrestle his opt-out decision between now and Thursday. Unfortunately, his torn pectoral muscle has made the call for him. The Niners have ruled Reed out for the season by placing him the reserve/non-football injury list, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports tweets.

Reed, 23, has appeared in 31 games for the Niners over the last two seasons. His playing time dipped in 2019, but, at minimum, he was set to serve as a versatile reserve in the secondary and a valuable special teams player.

Kwon Alexander suffered a torn pectoral muscle last year and miraculously returned to practice two months later. That’s not the typical timetable, of course, so it’s not a surprise to hear that Reed is done for the season. 49ers GM John Lynch considered keeping Reed on the roster, but it wasn’t feasible for the team to tie up a spot for several months.

By parking Reed for the year, the Niners will clear a roster spot for tight end Jordan Reed, who agreed to join the club on Monday.