Jets $33 Million Star Defender Predicted To Defect To Rival Patriots In Free Agency

Not where any Jets fan wants this stud to sign...

Nov 17, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; A New England Patriots helmet sit on an equipment case after a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New York Jets will experience a lot of roster turnover by design this offseason, but that doesn't mean they want some of their best free agents signing with division rivals.

In fact, if given their say, the Jets might prefer to keep cornerback D.J. Reed in New York. Unfortunately, the three-year New York veteran, who just finished up a $33 million contract, doesn't seem too keen on sticking around.

"I’m ready to go to free agency, bro. I'm ready to see what's next for me," Reed toldGo Long's Tyler Dunne after the Jets' season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

If Reed wants to leave, the Jets may as well let him go rather than entering a bidding war for a player widely considered the best corner on the market this winter. But it would still feel like something of a betrayal if the 28-year-old signed with another AFC East team.

On Wednesday, Pro Football Network predicted one free agent signing for each NFL team, and Reed was the site's pick for the team many Jets fans hate most of all: the New England Patriots.

"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," the article read.

"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."

New England has $119.8 million in projected cap space, according to Over The Cap. They have lots of roster holes, as their 4-13 record would indicate, but if they identify Reed as a priority, they've got all the spending power they could hope for to help land him.

Because the Patriots finished in last place, below even the highly disappointing Jets, there could be hope that Reed doesn't want to be part of a rebuild. But if he likes the Patriots' new direction under head coach Mike Vrabel, the Jets' worst fears could be confirmed.

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