Newly-Signed Jets CB D.J. Reed Calls Seahawks Contract Offer 'Disrespectful'
Last March, the Seahawks stayed involved in negotiations with free agent Shaquill Griffin up until the final hour, hoping to re-sign the Pro Bowl cornerback. The Jaguars then sweetened the pot, presenting an offer too rich for them to match, and the former third-round pick returned to his home state on a three-year, $40 million contract.
Fast forwarding one year later, Seattle found itself in a similar situation with starting cornerback D.J. Reed hitting the market coming off a strong 2021 campaign. Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, general manager John Schneider intimated negotiations unfolded in comparable fashion to Griffin with the New York Jets ultimately outbidding them with an offer they couldn't match.
"Yeah, I would say it was similar, yes," Schneider responded, choosing not to dig deeper into specifics.
But based on Reed's comments in his introductory press conference with New York media on Thursday, Schneider may not have accurately depicted how negotiations truly played out. Enjoying his first two seasons with the franchise, he wanted to stay with the Seahawks for the long haul, but he admitted he was insulted by a low-ball contract offer.
With Seattle's contract pitch falling well short of what he hoped it would, he signed a three-year, $33 million deal with New York instead.
“In my opinion and my agent’s opinion, it was disrespectful for my level of play and the player that I am,” Reed told reporters. “I’m not going to get into specifics because I don’t want to bash anybody or do anything like that, but I definitely know my worth and I feel like my worth should’ve been more. That’s just how I feel about myself."
After two seasons with the 49ers, Reed suffered a torn pectoral muscle during an offseason workout in July 2020 and the team waived him, believing they could slip him through waivers and stash him on injured reserve. Instead, Schneider made a shrewd move claiming him with hopes he would recover quickly from his injury and be able to contribute for the Seahawks at some point during the upcoming season.
Making a speedy recovery, Reed returned to the field after missing Seattle's first seven games and picked off former teammate Jimmy Garoppolo in his team debut. He wound up starting eight games, recording 59 tackles, picking off a pair of passes, and earning a respectable 73.1 grade from Pro Football Focus while also providing a spark on special teams as a punt returner.
Following Griffin's departure, Reed opened his first full season with the Seahawks as a Week 1 starter at left cornerback. By Week 4, with Tre Flowers being demoted and waived, he slid back to the right side and played like a top-10 cornerback. During the final 15 weeks of the season, per Pro Football Focus, he ranked second among qualified corners in completion percentage against (47.5), 14th in passer rating (67.3), second in yards allowed after the catch (61), and didn't allow a single touchdown.
Compared his play to the four cornerbacks who earned All-Pro honors - Trevon Diggs, Jalen Ramsey, J.C. Jackson, and A.J. Terrell - the 25-year old Reed held opponents to a lower completion percentage than three of them, a lower passer rating than two of them, and fewer touchdowns than all four players. Considering how he stacked up against the NFL's best, he's not suffering from a shortage in confidence and believes he's a true No. 1 shutdown corner with his best football in front of him.
"I think it's obvious, but people look at my height and say, 'Oh, he's a good CB2.' Well, like, no," Reed stated. "If you watch the tape from last year and the year before that, it's CB1. My stats compared to the All-Pros last year, from Jalen Ramsey to A.J. Terrell to -- who else was it? - J.C. Jackson. My stats are with those guys. And I'm going to take another step this year."
While it remains unknown what Seattle ultimately offered Reed, the decision not to re-sign him once again leaves the team with question marks at the cornerback position. For now, veteran Sidney Jones, 2021 fourth-round pick Tre Brown, and recently-signed former first-round pick Artie Burns sit atop the depth chart and both John Reid and Nigel Warrior were tendered as exclusive rights free agents.
It's possible the Seahawks could seek a replacement for Reed in next month's draft, potentially using the No. 9 overall pick acquired in the Russell Wilson trade on either Cincinnati's Sauce Gardner or LSU's Derek Stingley if available. The 2022 draft class offers decent depth at the position and quality players should be available when they pick twice in the second round as well.
Regardless of what they choose to do, if the Seahawks can't find a capable replacement and Reed shines as the featured cornerback in Robert Saleh's defense in New York, the decision not to up the ante and offer him more money to stay could be one the organization regrets down the road.
