ALLEN PARK -- DJ Reed entered free agency considered by most as one of the top defenders, and not just cornerbacks, on the market.
Reed came into the process with a desire to land in either Detroit or Washington. Now that he’s picked the Lions, Reed feels like he made the right choice and said his first day in Allen Park was “bliss” and “almost a dream.”
“I felt that those two teams were contenders,” Reed said during his introductory press conference. “Detroit, it’s crazy because before free agency started, early that Monday, I prayed to God, and I told him, ‘Whatever your will is. I want to go where you want me to go.’ It’s crazy because he literally gave me what my heart desired.
“I wanted to get paid, I wanted to play with dogs, and gratefully, I’m playing with dogs on the defensive side and the offensive side. So I’m going to a great team and have a shot at that Lombardi. That was my goal. Win a Super Bowl.”
Reed said he had several options on the market, but those two teams were where he wanted to be, and then the decision landed on Detroit, and he couldn’t be happier.
The Lions signed Reed to a three-year deal worth $48 million, slightly lower than most expected and less than some of the other deals for cornerbacks on the market. He also said he didn’t take a pay cut and that there wasn’t an offer with more money from a non-contending team, for clarity’s sake.
“I feel like anybody that’s trying to win win a Lombardi can see that Detroit’s on that way, on that path to win the Lombardi,” Reed said. “We watch tape. We see guys that want to play. When you see guys getting injured and the standard is still the standard, the defense isn’t really declining because the stars are out, that speaks volumes to the coach or the team to the coaches getting the players ready.
“You can tell everybody is playing as one, coaches and players involved, which I think is rare in the NFL today.”
Reed was a walk-on at Fresno State before finishing his time at Kansas State. And even though this is his third contract since going in the fifth round of the 2018 draft, he keeps an image from his time at Fresno State as a reminder of the journey.
He’s been a full-time starting cornerback since 2020 and has taken his game to new levels across the last three seasons with the New York Jets.
Reed forced tight-window throws on 37.3% of his targets in coverage last season, which was the fourth-highest rate in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranked Reed 29th among cornerbacks who played at least 20% of their team’s snaps. He’s been used in zone and man coverage and loves the fit with the Lions, who play more man than any other team around, though.
The 5-foot-9 corner played 31.1% of his snaps in man coverage last year, allowing 21 catches on 34 targets for only 214 yards and two touchdowns. While the interceptions haven’t been there, with two picks in three seasons, Reed seems to always be near the ball, with 32 pass breakups during that span.
“I think it fits very well. The reason being I’m a scrappy guy myself. I have grit, I’m a tenacious player, I want to dominate and win every rep,” Reed said. “I’m a willing tackler as well as corner, which you know most corners don’t want to tackle. Most corners want to cover. I like to throw myself out there when I have to, and I also want to cover as well. So I think I fit well.”
That certainly checks some boxes around these parts.
Reed also mentioned loving the opportunity to mentor young cornerbacks like Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw. The cornerback has also been studying this team’s tape because he views the chance to play in front of safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph as a big win for everyone.
“I’m really looking forward to playing with the safety duo,” Reed said. “That’s something I was very excited about is I’m going to be playing with two All-Pro safeties, which that’s going to take my game to the next level and I think it’s going to turn up the whole defense.
“I made a promise to myself. I call it ‘Empty The Tank.’ To give my all, and once I’m done -- whenever that is, whether it’s after this contract, whether I play longer -- when I’m done playing, I want to be able to say I gave everything to the game and that’s something I looked myself in the face and said that’s how I want to operate. So it doesn’t matter if I get paid, doesn’t matter if I’m not paid, I’m going to play the same regardless of whatever the situation is. That’s just how I operate.”