Roundtable: Acquiring Justin Reid Is a Major Win for the Chiefs
The NFL offseason and free agency are in full swing, and the Kansas City Chiefs are hard at work improving their roster. Their first big move of the legal tampering period was coming to terms with safety Justin Reid on a three-year, $31.5 million contract on Monday night. The former Houston Texans standout found himself on the open market for the first time following his rookie contract and now lands a starting role in the Chiefs' secondary.
The Reid acquisition signals a changing of the guard for the Chiefs in their defensive backfield. The Tyrann Mathieu era is over, paving the way for Reid and 26-year-old Juan Thornhill to lead the safety group that projects to be youthful, athletic and physical. What does Reid bring to the table, and how big of a win is this signing for the Chiefs? The Arrowhead Report crew discusses.
Jan 12, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) is tackled by Houston Texans safety Justin Reid (20) in the AFC Divisional Round playoff football game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan Foote: Justin Reid is a heck of an athlete and a player the Chiefs should be excited to bring in. There’s some inherent risk in signing him (he hasn’t been very good for a couple of seasons) but there’s a great chance that a change of scenery could do wonderful things for his career arc. Having Reid allows Kansas City to mix and match their coverages on the back end and adds an element of interchangeable versatility with Juan Thornhill that the team hasn’t quite had — even with Tyrann Mathieu. This isn’t a slam-dunk signing yet, but KC made a smart move here.
Mark Van Sickle: Justin Reid was my top free agent safety for the Chiefs. Jordan Foote and I discussed it on the Roughing the Kicker mailbag a week ago when someone asked who our favorite free agent safeties would be if the Chiefs and Mathieu couldn't come to terms. Reid can fly all over the secondary and is a hard-hitter who isn't afraid to stuff the run. His athleticism pops when watching highlights from his time with the Texans. He is only 25 years old and KC will get him in his prime. I think Chiefs Kingdom will be a big fan of this move.
Sam Hays: Justin Reid is still just 25 and he brings several traits similar to those of Tyrann Mathieu. He's coming off clearly his worst season, but the previous three were either really good or average — we know the good Reid is still there. The contract is not bad either, and certainly cheaper than Mathieu was. The Reid-Thornhill safety duo definitely brings some real excitement around Kansas City.
Nov 21, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Juan Thornhill (22) on field against the Dallas Cowboys during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Conner Christopherson: The idea of the Chiefs' defense getting younger, bigger, faster, and stronger appeals to me and Justin Reid might be the first step towards that future. The contract is a good number for Reid, who is just 25 years old. A great athlete out of college, Reid pairs his athleticism with heady play that the Chiefs definitely need in the secondary with Tyrann Mathieu's departure. This is a bit of a risk, however, with Reid's last year on the Texans being subpar. The Chiefs are betting on their staff getting the most out of Reid and there is a lot to like in his toolset.
Marlow Ferguson Jr.: It’s certainly easy to like the Justin Reid signing. It’s been well documented at this point that you can’t replace what Tyrann Mathieu brings to the table, but in Reid, they get a player four years younger, and per Spotrac, it comes at about two-thirds of the cost. It’s easy to overlook him on a Texans defense that ranked 27th in each of the last two seasons, but Reid has done his part. The 82.9 passer rating he allowed on 30 targets was a career-best, and he matches that with at least 10 percent of his snaps in the box, the slot, and as a free safety. The versatility is there. When teams play Kansas City, they know they're chasing points and trying to keep up; that should allow him to put up gaudy numbers, be aggressive and be a relatively seamless fit. Reid is listed as the NFL’s eighth-highest paid safety at the moment, and it’s reasonable to expect for him to play to that same standard.
Taylor Witt: Bringing in Justin Reid to replace Tyrann Mathieu is as close of a match as the Chiefs could have found this offseason. The versatility and high character will be hallmarks of Reid's time in KC, just as they were Mathieu's, but the major difference is that Reid is looking to hit people... hard. He's a thumper when he finds the ball, and that physicality will be a tremendous boon for the Chiefs. He's also a freak athlete who plays fast and will look to prove that the end of his time in Houston was more about the Texans' struggles and less about his own abilities. I'm very excited about this move by Brett Veach.
Jacob Harris: I have no idea what to think of this because I haven't paid close attention to a Texans game since they blew a 24-0 lead.
Oct 10, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans safety Justin Reid (20) attempts to intercept a pass intended for New England Patriots wide receiver N Keal Harry (1) during the fourth quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
