As free agency approaches, there’s bound to be plenty of buzz around the National Football League, and the New York Jets are no exception. With several key players set to hit the market, including the recently released Davante Adams and Aaron Rodgers, there’s a lot of movement expected. One player that stands out in this class is DJ Reed, the Jets’ star cornerback, who is widely regarded as one of the top pending free agents. NFL.com even ranked Reed as the No. 9 overall free agent heading into the open market.
If Reed doesn’t return to New York, where could he land? According to Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker, the Detroit Lions are a potential landing spot. Locker connected Reed to the Lions in his analysis of the “perfect” free-agent fit for each team.
“Detroit Lions: CB DJ Reed,” Locker stated. “As the Lions transition away from defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to in-house successor Kelvin Sheppard, the backbone of their defensive structure isn’t yet known — but it’s fair to assume that most of the fundamentals will remain in place. Either way, adding arguably the top cornerback on the market in Reed wouldn’t hurt. Last year, Detroit leaned primarily on Cover 1, running it on 33.7 percent of snaps.”
Locker continued, highlighting Reed’s consistency, “Meanwhile, since 2022, Reed’s 70.7 PFF coverage grade in Cover 1 is the 12th best among qualified cornerbacks. Even in a bit of a down season, Reed still enjoyed his staggering sixth straight year with a 70.0-plus PFF coverage grade. The Lions’ cornerback room will need reinforcements, given that Carlton Davis III is no longer under contract. With $51 million in cap space and hopes of finally reaching the Super Bowl, Detroit can finance a big-money move like Reed.”
The Lions may soon face a void in their secondary with Carlton Davis III heading to free agency. While Detroit is one of the top teams in the league, their defense struggled with injuries last season, which impacted their playoff hopes. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Lions target a major move to bolster their secondary, and signing Reed could be just what they need to stay competitive and push for a Super Bowl.
