49ers 'Could Steal Away' Jets $33 Million Star Thanks To Robert Saleh Connection

Will the former Jets head coach exact his revenge?

East Rutherford, NJ -- September 29 -- Jets head coach Robert Saleh in the first half as the Denver Broncos edged the New York Jets 10-9 at MetLife Stadium. | Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Only time will tell if the New York Jets regret firing former head coach Robert Saleh. And in his new position, he has the chance to exact some revenge.

Saleh came to the Jets as the highly-touted defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, and after a three-plus-year tenure in New York, that's exactly the role in which he finds himself once again. And the 49ers, much like the Jets, have lots of work to do in free agency.

Though it never translated to anything close to a playoff berth, Saleh oversaw some ferocious defenses during his time with the Jets. That included the development of several rising stars on the defensive side of the ball, with cornerback D.J. Reed ranking high on that list.

Now that Reed is a free agent, will Saleh's presence in San Francisco help sway him to head west on a new deal?

On Friday, FanSided's Mike Luciano named the 49ers as the number-one team most likely to "steal away" Reed from the Jets in free agency. Reed, for his part, seemed to indicate that he wouldn't rejoin the Jets when asked about his future at the end of the season.

"One of Robert Saleh's greatest developmental success stories with the Jets was helping Reed reach his full potential. After landing on his feet in San Francisco by reprising his role as defensive coordinator, Saleh could try to recruit some of his old Jets buddies over to the Bay Area," Luciano wrote.

"The 49ers' secondary wasn't very good last year, and Charvarius Ward possibly leaving in free agency could make this need even bigger. After making his name in the pros with San Francisco, Reed could be a perfect candidate to link back up with Saleh."

Reed signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Jets in 2022, and he was well worth the money. He never allowed a passer rating over 87.1 or more than 6.6 yards per target in his three seasons in New York.

Though the 49ers won just one more game than the Jets last season, Reed has seen San Francisco compete for multiple Super Bowls in the last half-decade. That could help convince him to join a familiar face in Saleh as he looks to compete for his first ring.

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