Packers Free Agents Stay or Go: Jarran Reed

Should the Green Bay Packers re-sign defensive tackle Jarran Reed or let him go? We deliver the pros and cons in Part 12 of this series on the Packers’ 2023 free agents.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Mar 8, 2023 11:31 AM EST

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have 14 players who are scheduled to be unrestricted free agents this offseason, including defensive tackle Jarran Reed.

Going in alphabetical order, our “Stay or Go” series will look at each of those players in advance of the official start of free agency on March 15. Why should the Packers re-sign Reed? Why should they let him go? Is there a replacement on the roster? Could they get a compensatory draft pick in exchange?

Packers Should Re-Sign Jarran Reed

Signed to a one-year contract in free agency last offseason, Reed had 2.5 sacks in his debut season with Green Bay. That number doesn’t provide any context into his actual performance, though.

By the official numbers, Reed’s five tackles for losses and 14 quarterback hits were the second-best figures of his seven-year career. By ProFootballFocus.com’s charting, his 33 pressures were tied for the second-most of his career.

He ranked in the top third of the league's defensive linemen in PFF's pass-rushing productivity, which measures sacks, hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. His strip and recovery at Miami in Week 16 probably saved the season.

Among the team’s defensive linemen, he was second in pressures (Kenny Clark had 45; everybody else combined had 30) and first in run stops with 23 (Dean Lowry was second with 16). His 10 stuffs (a tackle at or behind the line vs. the run) ranked second on the team behind Preston Smith.

Reed’s not a great player but he’s productive and durable. He played in all 17 games in 2022. Aside from a six-game suspension in 2019, he’s missed just two games in seven seasons.

Packers Should Let Reed Sign Elsewhere

Reed turned 30 in December. His one really good season – 10.5 sacks, 12 tackles for losses, 24 quarterback hits in 2018 – came forever ago.

Over his final 10 games of 2022, while his pass rush remained strong, he had just one tackle for loss.

Money will factor, too. The Packers will be pressed against the salary cap all season. Would they be better served saving the money, cranking up the rep counts of Devonte Wyatt and T.J. Slaton, and trying to build young depth?

Who Would Replace Reed?

Clark will anchor the group and Slaton and Wyatt are ready for more snaps. So, that’s who would replace Reed in the starting lineup. However, with Reed and Lowry set to hit free agency, the Packers’ depth is precarious, to be kind. The next-men-up are 2022 seventh-rounder Jonathan Ford, who was inactive for every game, and Chris Slayton, who spent the year on the practice squad.

Could the Packers Gain a Compensatory Draft Pick for Reed?

Based on OverTheCap.com’s projections, the Kansas City Chiefs will receive a sixth-round compensatory pick for losing Reed to the Packers last offseason. Comp picks are based mostly on money. Given how Reed played in 2022 and how pass-rushing defensive linemen will always get paid, the Packers figure to be in line for something in that neighborhood next offseason should Reed sign elsewhere.

The Verdict on Jarran Reed

Reed was worth every penny of last year’s one-year, $3.5 million contract. Along with Rudy Ford, Keisean Nixon and Dallin Leavitt, it was one of several budget-signing additions made by GM Brian Gutekunst.

Defensive line, already a need for the Packers, would be a massive need if Reed were to leave in free agency. He played 41.5 snaps per game. Who’s going to pick up the slack?

Games are won and lost by the big guys. As it stands with the start of free agency about a week away, the Packers are incredibly ill-equipped to handle the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles or even the Detroit Lions on the defensive side of that equation.