Seahawks Offseason Profile: Jarran Reed
Following a career year during the 2018 campaign, defensive tackle Jarran Reed was looking to take his next step towards stardom entering a contract year for the Seahawks.
Unfortunately, Reed was suspended for the first six games of the regular season due to a past domestic violence issue. After his suspension was lifted, he struggled to find his footing throughout the remainder of the season, leading to disappointing production heading into free agency.
Let’s revisit some of the good and the bad from Reed’s fourth season, along with a prediction of how next season may play out for him as he’s set to enter the first year of a two-year, $23 million contract signed in March.
What Went Right
While Reed failed to replicate his stellar results from 2018, the fifth-year pro was able to make a substantial impact during Seattle’s Week 10 showdown in San Francisco.
During his best performance of the 2019 campaign, the 27-year old Reed produced four total tackles, 1.5 sacks, one pass deflection, and one forced fumble.
With the 49ers leading 10-0 late in the second quarter, Reed's biggest moment came when he sacked and stripped the football away from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, allowing teammate Jadeveon Clowney to recover the ball and carry it into the end zone for a critical score to trim the lead to three points.
In addition, Reed helped prevent San Francisco from capitalizing on running back Rashaad Penny’s fumble during the third quarter. After generating a partial sack with teammate Poona Ford, the 49ers’ offense was forced into a third and long situation, ultimately leading to a turnover on downs.
Along with his outstanding performance in regulation, Reed also played a factor in keeping the score tied during overtime. With less than two minutes left in the extra quarter, his pass deflection on first down led to a punt from the 49ers just two plays later, allowing the Seahawks to kick the game-winning field goal with no time remaining.
For the second consecutive season, the former Alabama standout wasn’t plagued by penalties during the 2019 campaign. In fact, he committed just a single infraction (career-low) this past season, tied for fifth-fewest among all defensive tackles in the league, according to NFL-Penalties.com.
What Went Wrong
While the Seahawks were hopeful Reed’s suspension wouldn’t have a major impact on his production level in 2019, the additional time off undoubtedly led to one of the worst performances of his career.
In total, the former second-round selection generated career-lows in total tackles (27), solo tackles (10), and tackles for loss (zero). Along with these disappointing metrics, the North Carolina native also produced just 13 quarterback pressures, eight quarterback hits, and 2.0 sacks this past season.
To make matters worse, along with an unproductive season rushing the passer, the Seahawks’ defensive tackle also endured tackling woes upon his return from suspension.
Among all defensive linemen in the league, the former Alabama standout finished tied with the 33rd-lowest pressure rate (5.4 percent) and recorded five missed tackles in 2019, according to Sports-Info-Solutions.com.
Unfortunately, Reed also struggled to produce during Seattle's playoff run as well. Overall, he recorded just three total tackles, two solo tackles, and one quarterback hit through two contests, missing out on a couple of sack opportunities in the process.
2020 Outlook
Despite his troubling performance during the 2019 campaign, the Seahawks decided to re-sign Reed to a two-year deal earlier this spring.
After having one of the worst pass rushes in the league this past season, Seattle is hopeful that the veteran defensive tackle will be able to bounce back and help the team generate a lot more havoc on opposing quarterbacks in 2020.
In comparison to Reed’s first four seasons in the league, there have been 18 other defensive tackles who have produced at least 150 total tackles, 80 solo tackles, 17 tackles for loss, and 15.0 sacks through their first four seasons in the NFL.
Among the players listed above, Aaron Donald, Jurrell Casey, and Ndamukong Suh were the only players who recorded at least 50 total tackles and 10 tackles for loss during their fifth seasons in the league. In fact, the Rams’ five-time All-Pro tackle was the only player that produced at least 10.0 sacks during that same season.
Based on this sample size, taking a dramatic step forward production-wise could be challenging for Reed next season. Furthermore, this evidence also suggests he may never regain his dominance from the 2018 campaign, though coach Pete Carroll sounded optimistic he could back at the combine in February.
For the Seahawks, the organization is banking on Reed recovering from his disappointing 2019 performance to help bolster the team's pass rush. If his woes continue into next season, the team may endure another long season generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks and cast a doubt on his future with the team.
At this stage of his career, Reed will likely struggle to land a lucrative contract unless he rediscovers his 2018 form. If he wants to remain a starter in this league, then he’ll need to prove himself worthy of that job in 2020.
