D.J. Reed

Lions Place D.J. Reed On IR

October 1st, 2025 at 3:36pm CST by Connor Byrne

The Lions will have to go at least the next four games without starting cornerback D.J. Reed. The team placed Reed on injured reserve on Wednesday. While Reed will not require surgery on his strained hamstring (via Eric Woodyard of ESPN), he won’t be eligible to return until Nov. 9 against the Commanders.

Considering Reed was carted off the field in the Lions’ win over the Browns last Sunday, his IR placement doesn’t come as a surprise. Nevertheless, it’s an unwelcome development for Detroit, which added the former Seahawk, 49er, and Jet on a three-year, $48MM contract in free agency last March. Injury aside, the investment has looked good so far.

During his first four games as a Lion, Reed played over 88 percent of defensive snaps and helped the team to a 3-1 start. Along with leading all Lions corners in playing time, Reed posted 16 tackles, four passes defensed, an interception, and a fumble recovery. Pro Football Focus ranks his early season performance 28th among 164 qualifying corners.

Before Reed went down, the Lions had been set to reduce fellow outside corner Terrion Arnold‘s usage. Arnold then joined Reed in suffering an injury last week, though he was able to practice on a limited basis Wednesday despite a shoulder issue (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). Arnold, Amik Robertson, Khalil Dorsey, and Rock Ya-Sin will now have to pick up the slack in Reed’s absence.

The Lions’ schedule over the next few weeks looks like a mixed bag. Their Reed-less secondary will take on Bengals backup quarterback Jake Browning on Sunday, but they’ll have to contend with the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and the Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield in the two weeks after that. After a bye, the Lions will face the division-rival Vikings and either J.J. McCarthy or Carson Wentz on Nov. 2.

Lions Could Move CB D.J. Reed To IR

September 29th, 2025 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Lions saw cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed suffer injuries yesterday. The former does not appear to be in line for an extended absence, but the latter could find himself on injured reserve.

Arnold suffered a shoulder injury on Sunday, although head coach Dan Campbell said (via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network) he does not anticipate a lengthy spell on the sidelines. That will be welcomed news even with Arnold’s struggles early this season and the resultant plan to lower his playing time. Such a setup may need to be put on hold for now.

Reed was carted off the field with a hamstring injury. Based on Campbell’s post-game remarks, Rapoport notes a move to IR could be in store in this case. That would ensure at least a four-week absence for Reed; it would also leave Detroit without a perimeter starter for an extended period.

During the offseason, the Lions expectedly lost Carlton Davis on the open market. Detroit took the free agent route to bring in Reed on a pact similar in length and value (three years, $48MM) to the one Davis landed with the Patriots. Arnold and fellow returnee Amik Robertson have been key figures in the secondary to date, and that will of course remain the case moving forward. Still, losing Reed for any notable period will mark a blow to Detroit’s secondary.

The 28-year-old has served as a full-time starter with his newest team, collecting four pass deflections early on. Reed also notched his first interception of the season shortly before suffering the injury. Further testing in his case will be worth watching closely, as it will inform the Lions’ decision with respect to an IR move taking place or being avoided.

The plan for reducing Arnold’s usage was aimed at giving Robertson more time on the boundary as opposed to the slot. If Reed winds up missing considerable game action, Robertson may be forced to handle a full-time role on the perimeter opposite Arnold (presuming, of course, he does not wind up being sidelined for an extended period). In any case, defensive adjustments will likely be necessary as the Lions look to build off their strong start.

Lions To Sign CB D.J. Reed

March 10th, 2025 at 12:42pm CST by Sam Robinson

Carlton Davis‘ free agency defection (to the Patriots) will not go unanswered for even an hour. The Lions have a deal in place with another high-end free agent at the position.

D.J. Reed is heading from Aaron Glenn‘s current team to his former team, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. Viewed by many as the top cornerback in this class, Reed secured $48MM over three years. Although the Lions used first- and second-round picks on corners last year, the team still prioritized a veteran to replace Davis.

PFR’s No. 9 overall free agent, Reed rated as our top corner available. The three-year Sauce Gardner sidekick delivered solid work in New York, but the team has the All-Pro on its extension radar and gave Michael Carter a top-market slot deal last summer. That left Reed set to explore the market, and he will land a second lucrative deal in free agency.

Reed, 28, has shown the value of agreeing to a three-year deal during his first crack at free agency. The former 49ers and Seahawks contributor hit the market a second time and parlayed his age and performance into a raise from the Lions. Reed, who will not turn 30 until November 2026, played out a three-year, $33MM deal with the Jets.

Among boundary corners to start at least 10 games last season, Reed ranked 11th in yards per target (6.4). The same measurement in 2023 places Reed (6.6) 12th. Pro Football Focus ranked Reed 16th among CB regulars in 2023 and 31st in ’24. Gardner soared to the All-Pro level immediately, but Reed provided a solid complementary piece. He will now work opposite Terrion Arnold in Detroit, as the Lions will place a veteran CB deal in a secondary housing rookie contracts at corner and safety (Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph).

The Lions are transitioning to a new DC for the first time in Dan Campbell‘s run, but they ensured continuity in Kelvin Sheppard. Reed brings an important piece for a Lions team that ran into injury trouble in the secondary — via Davis’ late-season broken jaw — and along its defensive line. As Aidan Hutchinson makes his way back to a team that is also hoping Marcus Davenport shakes his recent string of injuries, Sheppard’s secondary could be an imposing one in 2025.

CB Notes: Reed, Jets, Davis, Ward, Packers, Alexander, Hobbs, Raiders

March 4th, 2025 at 3:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

As is the case at wide receiver, the cornerback market will feature several players who have been in free agency before. A handful of this batch of third-contract-seeking cover men, however, are under 30. D.J. Reed may lead this contingent, with SNY’s Connor Hughes indicating the three-year Jets starter is believed to be the top free agent corner on the market. The Jets are not expected to re-sign Reed, per Hughes and The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt. This is certainly not too surprising, as the team paid slot corner Michael Carter last summer and has a top-market deal with Sauce Gardner on the horizon. Reed saw the writing on the wall as well, saying before his contract year he would test free agency. He has continued to point to an exit for months, and the former 49ers and Seahawks CB — who will turn 29 during the 2025 season — will soon see a strong market.

Here is the latest from the cornerback ranks:

The Eagles took two 30-something CB contracts (for Darius Slay and James Bradberry) off their payroll this week, leaving the market for experienced vets at the position thin. Beyond Jalen Ramsey, Chidobe Awuzie (three years, $36MM) is the only boundary corner attached to an eight-figure-per-year salary on a third contract. That number should expand soon, with the cap going up by another $24MM and a host of late-20-somethings hitting the market. Two more names who should do well: Carlton Davis and Charvarius Ward. Davis and Ward’s markets could reach the “high teens” in terms of AAV, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes. That would be a substantial jump from where Awuzie is. Davis and Ward are each 28 and coming off three-year contracts, with the Buccaneers having traded Davis’ to the Lions. The 49ers extending Deommodore Lenoir points Ward out of town, while Davis did not discuss an extension with the Lions before season’s end. The Jaguars have been connected to the former Super Bowl LV starter.
Another late-20-something corner could be joining this quartet soon. Although the Packers are shopping Jaire Alexander, Schultz adds many NFL staffers expect the team to move on via release. The Packers have been viewed as highly unlikely to keep the 28-year-old CB another year, as injuries keep intervening during a $21MM-per-year contract. Two years remain on Alexander’s accord. The Pack could save $17.1MM by designating Alexander as a post-June 1 cut; they would need to wait until the start of the 2025 league year (March 12) to cut him in that case.
Not all of the notable corners hitting free agency will be gunning for a third contract. Nate Hobbs joins Paulson Adebo and Asante Samuel Jr. as regular starters set to test the market for the first time. Adebo is expected to, despite suffering a broken femur in October, garner significant interest. The Saints are interested in re-signing him. Hobbs is close to seeing an interesting market emerge. Despite an inability to stay healthy, the Raiders slot corner is being mentioned as a player who could command Kenny Moore-level money, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed notes, adding that significant interest is coming the four-year vet’s way. Moore’s third Colts contract came in at three years, $30MM last March. Taron Johnson soon upped the slot market to just beyond $10MM per annum. Although Hobbs is not as proven as those two players, he did generate trade interest from the 49ers and has four years of experience patrolling the slot for the Raiders.

Jets Notes: Rodgers, Reed, Lazard, FA

February 5th, 2025 at 10:10pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Jets having settled on their organizational hierarchy, focus will now pivot to the roster…particularly their high-priced, future Hall of Fame quarterback. Aaron Rodgers has generally been noncommittal regarding his Jets future, and the QB continued that trend during a chat with the Golf Channel during the WM Phoenix Open.

“I’ve talked with the Jets,” Rodgers said when asked about his immediate future (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “We’ll figure things out when we figure them out.”

New head coach Aaron Glenn and new GM Darren Mougey will be responsible for figuring out the team’s approach at the position, as Woody Johnson has said he’ll be hands off when it comes to the handling of Rodgers. Both sides have expressed interest in keeping Rodgers in New York for the 2025 campaign, but things can obviously quickly change.

While neither the organization nor Rodgers are being definitive about his status, two members of the Jets have made it clear they want the veteran back in 2025. Quincy Williams noted that the former Super Bowl winner “takes our game to another level,” while Jermaine Johnson said he’d “obviously” welcome Rodgers back next season (per Brian Costello of the New York Post).

More notes out of New York…

While Rodgers’ status with the team is uncertain, it sounds a bit more definitive that two other veterans won’t be back in 2025. According to Costello, cornerback D.J. Reed isn’t expected to re-sign with the organization while wide receiver Allen Lazard is expected to be a cap casualty. Reed inked a three-year contract with the Jets back in 2022 that’s set to expire, and the veteran should garner plenty of interest after starting each of his 46 appearances with the organization. Lazard is still attached to the four-year deal he signed with the organization in 2023, and while his numbers took a step forward playing alongside Rodgers, his production with the Jets (60 catches, 841 yards in 26 games) doesn’t justify the financial commitment.
Mekhi Becton has turned around his career in Philly, as the former first-round pick has shed his “bust” label. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic explored Becton’s career evolution, including the end of his tumultuous tenure with the Jets. Most notably, the lineman ignored a number of messages from position coach John Benton during the 2022 offseason. This followed a 2021 campaign when Becton was limited to one game thanks to a knee injury. Becton’s 2022 season was somehow even worse, as the lineman suffered a kneecap injury that erased another campaign.
With Glenn now running the show, the former Lions defensive coordinator will predictably recruit players from his former stop. One of his potential targets will likely be Derrick Barnes, according to Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com. The former fourth-round pick just completed his rookie contract after spending the first four seasons of his career in Detroit, where he collected 205 tackles in 51 games. The linebacker was limited to only three appearances this past season thanks to a knee injury.

Sauce Gardner Interested In Jets Extension; D.J. Reed Eyeing Free Agency

January 6th, 2025 at 6:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Like the Jets as a whole, Sauce Gardner did not live up to expectations this season. The two-time All-Pro was not selected to the Pro Bowl, as the Jets plummeted to 5-12 despite regular playoff expectations. The team still has some extension matters to navigate.

The three first-round picks the team made in 2022 — Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson — are now extension-eligible, as is starting running back Breece Hall. While the Aaron Rodgers matter may overshadow everything else (player-wise, at least) until he is off the Jets’ roster, the franchise still has a number of matters to sort out involving its rookie-contract contingent.

Wilson is not believed to have seen eye-to-eye with Rodgers, and rumors about a trade request continue to surface. The Jets will have new decision-makers ticketed to deal with the Wilson matter soon — a number of GM and HC interview requests went out today — but Gardner is a more accomplished player who is also free to sign a new deal now. Unlike Wilson, Gardner has made his long-term wishes known.

“I want to be part of this for a long time,” Gardner said, via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini. “I want to be part of the change in this organization.”

This comes after a host of reports tabbed Woody Johnson (and his sons) as being overly involved in personnel decisions, creating more instability for the franchise that has the NFL’s longest active playoff drought — at 14 seasons. The team found a gem in Gardner, however, despite his slight step backward in Year 3. The former No. 4 overall pick is a two-time first-team All-Pro, already rocketing to the top fifth-year option tier — which doubles as the franchise tag value — at corner. The Jets will pick up that option by May, giving them two more years of control.

The physical corner has long been deemed a big-picture priority, while slot defender Michael Carter already signed his extension. With Carter signed and the Jets — barring a drastic approach change from the next front office — eyeing a Gardner extension, D.J. Reed appears close to gone. The former 49ers and Seahawks CB’s three-year deal expires in March, and he has already alluded to testing the market. Reed expanded on that stance recently.

“Obviously, in this league, it’s about winning,” Reed told the New York Post’s Bridget Reilly. “But, you could go to a good organization, you think is a good organization, and the year you go there, they’re not winning. I think it’s deeper than just winning. I think it’s just being in a stable organization that has a winning culture and just being in a good environment, a healthy environment.”

Even the most ardent of Jets backers would have a difficult time classifying it as a stable organization presently, and with Carter and Gardner higher priorities, Reed appears set to hit the market again. He will follow the likes of Chidobe Awuzie and Kendall Fuller as a corner seeking a third payday in free agency. Both did fairly well, Awuzie especially (via a three-year, $36MM deal) in 2024. Reed, who is playing out a three-year deal worth $33MM, turned 28 in November and has been a regular starter for five seasons. The ex-Seahawk regular graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 29 overall corner in 2024; Gardner ranked 32nd, per the advanced metrics site.

Gardner, 24, has a new cornerback market to survey after the paydays went out to Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey last summer; both topped $24MM per year on a market that had been stuck at $21MM AAV for more than two years. Reed will not be targeting that, but the proven starter should be able to do well on the open market in his late 20s.

Jets CB D.J. Reed Addresses Pending Free Agency

December 31st, 2024 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

In June, D.J. Reed indicated he would be open to remaining with the Jets beyond the 2024 season. The pending free agent cornerback later confirmed, though, that he would not engage in contract talks with an eye on hitting the open market in the spring.

That remains the case at this point, and with only one week remaining in the campaign Reed is well aware he is on the verge of free agency. The 28-year-old said in September he would play out the season and then evaluate his situation upon the expiration of his deal, a three-year, $33MM pact. That contract was signed after the end of Reed’s two-year Seahawks tenure, one which was preceded by a pair of campaigns with the 49ers.

The contract has provided the Jets with strong value given Reed’s consistent play as a full-time starter. The former fifth-rounder has remained durable throughout his New York tenure, serving as an effective complement on the perimeter to Sauce Gardner and amassing 31 pass deflections in 45 games. Reed has allowed completion percentages ranging between 57.1% and 63.5% in coverage and has been charged with only six touchdowns surrendered as the nearest defender as a Jet. Week 18 could be his final game with the team, however.

“I was going to have 10 picks,” Reed said when reflecting on his expectations for 2024 in an interview with Go Long’s Tyler Dunne. “We were going to be elite. I thought that we’d be up in the score late in games and teams would have to throw the ball and I’m going to make plays on the ball. I’m ready to go to free agency, bro. I’m ready to see what’s next for me.”

The Jets worked out an extension with Michael Carter II just before the start of the season, and he is in place to remain the team’s top slot corner through 2027. Gardner will be in line for second contract this offseason, and it would come as no surprise if signing him to a lucrative long-term pact became one of the top priorities once New York’s new general manager and head coach pairing is in place. That may not leave enough funds to retain Reed, whose age and track record could make him an attractive option to any number of outside suitors.

Other corners on expiring contracts include Carlton Davis, Charvarius Ward, Brandon Stephens, Byron Murphy and Benjamin St-Juste. Reed will certainly be a name to watch as part of that group and a new Jets pact will of course remain a possibility until March. Given his comments, though, it would not come as a shock if he were to depart in the near future.

Jets Not Expected To Trade CB D.J. Reed

November 3rd, 2024 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Parks

Jets cornerback D.J. Reed is a quality defender in the midst of a strong season who plays on a 3-6 club and who is on an expiring contract. He has also made it plain that he intends to test free agency in March, all of which makes him an obvious trade candidate.

New York has indeed received trade inquiries on Reed, but the team is not expected to move the Kansas State product, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required). With the soon-to-be 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers at quarterback and having already made a buyers’ trade for wide receiver Davante Adams, it stands to reason that the Jets would not make any sellers’ moves in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, despite their poor record.

GM Joe Douglas is also out of contract at season’s end, and while it appears he will finish out the year in his post, he obviously has plenty of incentive to retain the best players on the roster rather than ship them off for future draft picks. Though Rich Cimini of ESPN.com does not believe Douglas will make another splashy acquisition over the next several days, he does confirm that the Jets will not be sellers.

Douglas’ big misstep during his New York tenure was his decision to make quarterback Zach Wilson the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 draft, but the Jets’ top exec does have some highlights on his resume. That includes signing Reed to a three-year, $33MM contract in March 2022, a deal that has yielded considerable return on investment.

Per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, Reed graded out as the 23rd-best corner out of 118 qualified players in his first year with the Jets, and PFF considered him the 16th-best CB out of 127 qualifiers last year. In 2024, he has taken his play to another level, with an excellent 81.8 PFF grade that represents the fourth-highest mark among 110 qualified cornerbacks. He has also surrendered an exceedingly low 57.7 QB rating, and his eight passes defensed put him on pace to set a new career-high in that category.

Reed’s platform-year performance has set him up nicely for another lucrative payday in the upcoming offseason. Whether that comes from the Jets – who may be under different leadership in 2025 and who will need to consider an extension for fellow boundary defender Sauce Gardner – remains to be seen. For now, though, Reed will try to help his current club make a postseason run.

Jets’ D.J. Reed To Test Free Agency In 2025

September 9th, 2024 at 9:49am CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets’ secondary will play a key role in the team’s ability to deliver on expectations in 2024. That unit includes Michael Carter for the foreseeable future, and the same will no doubt be true of Sauce Gardner. Whether or not fellow corner D.J. Reed stays with New York beyond the coming season will not be learned for several months, however.

Reed is a pending free agent as he prepares to play out the final season of his three-year, $33MM contract. That pact has proven to offer solid value from the Jets’ perspective, as the 27-year-old has served as a full-time starter and consistent contributor in coverage. With a Gardner mega-extension looming as early as next spring, though, Reed confirmed he will test the market in March before deciding on his next move.

“I’m going to go to free agency,” the Kansas State product said (via ESPNs Rich Cimini). “I’m focused on just handling my business, taking it one game at a time, ultimately winning, getting to the playoffs, making a push for a Super Bowl run, and then just seeing what happens after that.”

Reed hinted in June that he would wind up in free agency after playing out the 2024 season. As of that point, no extension talks had taken place, and no updates on that front have emerged since. The Carter deal makes him one of three slot corners averaging over $10MM per season, and a new pact for Gardner will move him near or atop the pecking order for outside players. Patrick Surtain and Jalen Ramsey moved the top of that market to (and then slightly beyond) $24MM per year, giving Gardner a target on his extension.

Keeping Carter and Gardner in the fold will make it challenging to also retain Reed. The former fifth-rounder has recorded one interception and one forced fumble during each of his Jets campaigns, adding 21 pass deflections during that time. Reed allowed two touchdowns and nearly identical passer ratings (81.9, 81.6) in coverage across the past two years, and a similar campaign is expected in 2024.

Another steady season would boost Reed’s stock and generate a market of outside suitors. He has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Jets, but that will not happen before he gauges his value as a free agent.

Vikings Targeting DL, CB This Summer

June 30th, 2024 at 9:02pm CST by Ely Allen

In a recent mailbag Q&A, Alec Lewis of The Athletic noted two positions that are likely to be subject to additions this summer and in free agency next year for the Vikings: defensive tackle and cornerback. While there were some attempts to address each position already this offseason, there is likely much more work to be done in Minnesota.

On the defensive line, Minnesota is running it back with Harrison Phillips and Jonathan Bullard as two of their starters in a three-man front. Unfortunately, neither really stood out as strong players at their position with Lewis noting specifically that Phillips and Bullard ranked as two of the worst interior pass rushers in the NFL last year. Last year’s fifth-round rookie Jaquelin Roy could potentially take the next step after playing in an extremely minor role last season.

The team did make two free agent additions, signing Jerry Tillery and Jonah Williams back in March. Tillery had a bit of a resurgent season last year in Las Vegas after falling out of favor with the Chargers. Williams saw his first full-time starting role for the Rams last year, starting all but one game in 2023. This provides a bevy of options as the Vikings plan their rotation on the defensive line. It’s hard to say just how much of an improvement this will be; it will really depend on who steps up this summer to grab starting positions.

That being said, all four of Phillips, Bullard, Tillery, and Williams have expiring contracts after this season. Lewis notes that this will make the position just as much of a position-of-focus next year in free agency, as well. While one or a few of the above names may prove to be worth re-signing, Lewis already pegs veteran division-rival Kenny Clark as a target free agent next spring. He tabs Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux and Eagles pass rusher Josh Sweat as potential targets, as well.

At cornerback, Byron Murphy and Akayleb Evans return as two starters while veteran Shaquill Griffin comes in as a new starter on the outside, allowing Murphy to play a bit more in the slot, if necessary. Evans has overperformed as a recent fourth-round pick, while his draft classmate Andrew Booth, a former second-rounder, has failed to establish himself in the rotation. There are no real stars in this position group, though Griffin has displayed the ability to be one of the better players at the position in past years.

Like on the defensive line, though, Murphy and Griffin will both be free agents next year, making cornerback a position of focus in 2025, as well. As for future targets at cornerback, Lewis likes Jets corner D.J. Reed and San Francisco’s Charvarius Ward.

None of the free agents Lewis suggests are necessarily stars at their position, and most are in their older years, but all would provide an improvement to what the Vikings currently have on the roster. There are still several months for Minnesota to continue addressing those positions, and there’s still every possibility that the current Vikings will step up and prove that they belong and are good enough to keep around beyond this year.

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