Grateful to Return to Seahawks, Jarran Reed Determined to Bounce Back

RENTON, WA - Coming off a disappointing season, Jarran Reed isn't in the excuse making business. While he acknowledged circumstances weren't ideal, he knows he wasn't good enough for the Seahawks in the midst of a contract year.

After amassing 10.5 sacks and 24 quarterback hits during a breakout 2018 campaign, Seattle was counting on the former Alabama standout to come close to replicating that production last year. After all, the organization had dealt away its top pass rusher in Frank Clark to Kansas City prior to the draft, leaving him as the top sack producer remaining on the roster.

But with free agency looming, Reed's fourth season with the Seahawks got off to a disastrous start. Though he hadn't been charged with a crime in a domestic violence incident, the NFL laid down the law by handing him a six-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy at the start of training camp.

After participating in training camp and the preseason, Reed left the team for his month and half long banishment, unable to practice or be with the Seahawks. It was unlike anything he had ever experienced as a football player and once he returned in Week 7, he struggled to rediscover his prior dominant form.

"I could have came in, you know, done a way better job," Reed admitted. "But it's definitely - it was very different - for one, something I'd never been through in my life and for two, to come in late behind the eight ball already."

Seattle had weathered the storm without Reed during the first six weeks, starting off 5-1 with Poona Ford and Al Woods taking his place in the starting lineup. But the team had yet to establish a consistent pass rush and with their star defensive tackle back in the fold, the expectation was that his presence would bolster the entire defensive line.

Unfortunately, that didn't happen. Reed produced just a pair of sacks and eight quarterback hits in 10 regular season games after being reinstated from suspension. As for the Seahawks as a whole, they finished next-to-last in the NFL with 28.0 sacks as a team and near the bottom of the league in pressure percentage and quarterback hits.

In the postseason, Reed's woes continued, as several would-be sacks slipped out of his grasp against the Eagles in the Wild Card round and he didn't produce any pressures against the Packers the following week as the Seahawks were sent packing for the season.

At the center of Reed's inability to find a rhythm after his suspension, he believes he tried too hard to contribute upon his return. The extra pressure on himself while playing catch up prevented him from coming close to his 2018 numbers.

"I tried so hard not to over-try," Reed reflected. "But when you come in late , you wanna be effective for your team so much and sometimes you've just got to let the game come to you without forcing it."

Hitting free agency in March, Reed told reporters on Tuesday his goal was always to remain with the Seahawks. Despite his underwhelming performance, the organization offered him a two-year, $23 million deal, believing last year was an aberration.

With unfinished business to address both on an individual and team level after losing to the Packers in the Divisional Round, Reed wasted little time signing the contract, grateful for the chance to stay in the Pacific Northwest.

"The team had faith in me and gave me an opportunity to have another chance by re-signing me. It was pretty easy. I wanted to stay here. I love it here in Seattle."

Motivated to prove his dominant performance from two years ago wasn't a fluke and help Seattle return to the Super Bowl, Reed along with several of the team's defensive linemen has been working out at Ford Sports Performance in Bellevue throughout the offseason. Having put last year behind him, he's indicated he's in "tremendous" shape heading into a new season.

With a new contract in hand, Reed is eager to show the Seahawks they made a wise investment and play a starring role helping the front line "rattle" opposing quarterbacks in 2020.

"I'm ready to go. I'm ready to get a fresh start and start out the season with a clean slate. I'm just excited for this season because I've worked really hard and I'm not going to let these guys down."