Versatile DB D.J. Reed Expected to Return to Practice for Seahawks
Back on August 5, the Seahawks made a surprising waiver claim on third-year defensive back D.J. Reed, who had been cut by the 49ers with an injury designation following a torn pectoral muscle injury suffered during an offseason workout.
At the time, it seemed unlikely Reed would play at all in 2020. San Francisco thought he'd slip through waivers as a result, but Seattle had other plans and now three months later, the former Kansas State standout appears close to returning to action.
Posting on his personal Instagram account on Friday, Reed indicated he would be "back on Monday," suggesting he would be designated for return from the Non-Football Injury List and begin a 21-day window to be activated to the 53-man roster.
Reed, who will turn 24 on November 11, originally was picked by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He played 360 defensive snaps as a rookie, producing 41 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 15 games. He also generated 332 yards as a kick return specialist on special teams, including an explosive 90-yard return.
Last season, Reed only played 125 defensive snaps for San Francisco and wasn't used as a returner on special teams. But despite the diminished playing time, he still returned a fumble for a touchdown and produced a pair of pass deflections while seeing limited action at slot cornerback and safety. Pro Football Focus gave him a solid 74.8 overall grade after giving up eight completions on 13 targets in coverage.
While many expected Reed would need at least four or five months to recover and potentially "redshirt" this season, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll made it clear earlier this month that the team expected him to return "very soon."
"He's going to be back. He looks great running and I've seen him work out quite a bit," Carroll said. "I'm really excited about him. He's a versatile football player, really aggressive playmaker type. He's played safety and corner and nickel - he's played all of those spots - he's an exciting guy to add in."
Set to return to the practice field earlier than projected coming off a significant injury, Carroll made it sound as if Reed would compete right away against Ugo Amadi at the slot cornerback position and could be used as a kick returner. Running back Travis Homer has held that role through the first five games for the Seahawks, returning eight kickoffs for 184 yards.
Seattle won't have to rush into a decision when it comes to placing Reed on the active roster. The team will have three weeks to evaluate him and see where he fits before they must make a decision to either activate him, waive him, or place him back on the NFI list, which would bring his 2020 season to an end.
