Cornerback may not be the top priority for a New England Patriots team that desperately needs to find competent starters at left tackle, wide receiver, and defensive end, but that shouldn’t preclude the franchise from adding a quality starter to pair with 2024 breakout star Christian Gonzalez. Luckily for Mike Vrabel and Co., they may not have to look far to find a reliable CB2.
After playing out the final year of the three-year, $33 million deal he signed with the New York Jets during the 2022 offseason, veteran D.J.
Reed looks poised to land a significant raise once free agency gets underway. D.J. Reed, @nyjets DB, has 2 consecutive seasons under 60% completions allowed, along with 20 passes defended in that time.
#JetUp#NFL#NewYorkpic.twitter.com/2ZH7QGEV7g — Pro Football Hall of Fame Ambassador (@PFHOFAmbassador) January 13, 2025 And don’t be surprised if the team with the most cap space in the NFL is willing to pay up to secure his services.
Pro Football Network pegged the Patriots as the ideal landing spot for Reed, a former fifth-round pick who’s developed into a rock-solid starter.
“New England has the cap space to pay Reed as a low-end No. 1 and pair him with their exciting young cornerback, Christian Gonzalez,” PFN wrote. “Putting Reed opposite Gonzalez would give the Patriots an extremely strong pair of outside corners and force teams to pick their poison in terms of who they target.
This would be an extremely savvy move to boost a defense that ranked 30th last season.
How much could it cost to get Reed to jump from one AFC East franchise to another?
According to Spotrac, the 28-year-old corner has a market value of four years, $58.6 million, putting him just shy of $15 million per year.
That would place Reed about 12th at his position in average annual value (AAV), ahead of notable names like Darius Slay, Charvarius Ward, and Jamel Dean. .
@MattBowen41 on why CB D.J. Reed would work for the #Patriots: “Reed is a highly competitive coverage corner with press-man traits and the transition speed to break on the throw.
But he is more of a ball disruptor than playmaker.” Reed has 40 pass breakups and 6 interceptions.
https://t.co/X2AIuw8Cvnpic.twitter.com/SVjWqFEj4W — New England Sports Fellow (@NESportsFellow)
February 18, 2025 While the 5-foot-9, 188-pound veteran is by no means a shutdown corner, he certainly would be an upgrade across from Gonzalez, who does fall into that category.
Signing Reed would give Vrabel and his staff the flexibility to use Jonathan Jones exclusively in the slot, or even move him to free safety a la Devin McCourty.
Plus, poaching a key piece away from the Jets would be a win-win scenario for a Patriots organization that hasn’t had much to celebrate over the last two years.
So, if PFN is on point with its prediction, don’t be surprised if a familiar face goes from suiting up against New England to donning the team’s colors.
