The Detroit Lions have signed cornerback D.J. Reed to a three-year deal worth $48 million, according to sources. This move comes as the Lions look to fill the gap left by Carlton Davis III, who signed a three-year contract with the New England Patriots for $60 million, with $34.5 million guaranteed.
This is Reed’s second time hitting free agency. Back in 2022, he joined the New York Jets with a three-year contract worth $33 million. Though he only had one full season under his belt with the Seattle Seahawks before that, he quickly became a key player for the Jets.
Teaming up with standout Sauce Gardner, Reed played as the No. 2 cornerback for New York. His versatility shone through in both zone and man-to-man coverage. Standing at 5-foot-9, he may be shorter than many NFL cornerbacks, but he held his own well, defending against 32 passes from 2022 to 2024.
The Jets usually didn’t task their corners with shadowing specific receivers. As a result, Reed frequently matched up against the opposing team’s top receiver. Last season, he did a decent job, allowing a passer rating of 80.4, ranking 19th out of 77 corners, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
However, it’s worth noting that Reed has only six interceptions in his seven-year career and has been flagged for 21 penalties over the last three seasons. In 2024 alone, he picked up eight pass-interference penalties, leading his team. In total, his pass-interference calls cost the team 185 yards, placing him among the top offenders in the league.
Reed started his NFL journey as a fifth-round pick for the San Francisco 49ers in 2018. The Seattle Seahawks picked him up in 2020, and under coach Pete Carroll, he began to redefine his game. To date, he has played 101 games, with 70 of those as a starter.
