Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: How Will Jerrick Reed II Bounce Back From Injury?

A standout on special teams last season before suffering a torn ACL, Reed is returning to a safety room that is deep, but lacking premier talent. Will he have a role in 2024?

Aug 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks safety Jerrick Reed II (32) after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lumen Field. / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

With OTAs wrapping up across the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in just under two months, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best- and worst-case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Can Jerrick Reed II bounce back after missing the final seven games of his rookie season due to injury?

Background

Only earning a two-star rating by 247Sports out of high school, Reed opted to take the JUCO route and attend Northwest Mississippi Community College for his true freshman season. Reed piled up 71 tackles, three tackles for loss and two interceptions in just 10 games at NWMCC, and he committed to the University of New Mexico in the Mountain West Conference. Breaking out in his final two seasons at New Mexico, Reed totaled 183 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, 20 passes defensed and two interceptions in 24 games in his senior and super senior campaigns. That effort was enough for Seattle to draft him in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, where Reed shined on special teams as a rookie after making the 53-man roster. In 10 games, Reed recorded 11 total tackles before tearing his ACL in the Seahawks’ Week 10 game versus the Rams, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Scheme Fit

At 5-9, 196 pounds, Reed was considered undersized for a safety coming out of college. He is tied with three other players — all on offense — for the shortest player on Seattle’s current 90-man roster. However, Reed has welcomed physicality, which is how he managed to finish third on the team in special teams tackles last season (nine) despite missing seven games. Production has never been an issue for Reed at any stage of his career, and his ball skills are above average. In almost any NFL scheme, however, Reed is limited to a free safety or nickel position, unless Mike Macdonald could find a unique role for him.

Best Case Scenario

Making a full recovery from his serious knee injury last season, Reed appears to have the same level of athleticism and quickness that put him on Seattle’s draft board last offseason. Reed carves out a similar role on special teams and continues to excel there while backing up Julian Love at free safety and occasionally seeing the field on defense in nickel packages or if injuries pile up. He stays healthy and, this time around, leads the Seahawks in special teams tackles.

Worst Case Scenario

Reed’s injury hinders the athletic traits that made him a desirable prospect despite his size, and he is outshined in training camp by the other versatile defensive backs Seattle currently has on its roster — namely Coby Bryant. With four other safeties locking up roster spots, including Bryant, Reed is cut after the Seahawks’ final preseason game and another young player on Seattle's roster bubble earns his practice squad spot.

What to Expect in 2024

The big question mark with Reed is whether his injury will linger. A torn ACL can significantly impact players who play fast such as Reed and could leave him prone to future knee injuries. If he appears to possess the same speed and quickness as he did before the injury, the competition between Reed and Bryant offers more intrigue assuming that’s where Bryant continues to see most of his snaps. One of the two is likely to be left on the practice squad or off the team completely, depending on how Seattle views the other young defensive backs they are evaluating.

Reed’s upside on special teams is a huge plus in his corner, however, as he tries to stick around, even with a new coaching staff. Before his injury, Reed played 157 special teams snaps and was clearly viewed as a standout in that area. Seattle’s safety room is now deep with the free agent additions of Rayshawn Jenkins and K’Von Wallace, but it isn’t incredibly talented. The ceiling for Reed could be upwards of 200 defensive snaps if there are injuries or poor play by the Seahawks’ other safeties, and the floor would leave him looking for another team. Reed’s status in the safety room pecking order won’t become clear until training camp as he works back from an ACL tear.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Buddha Jones | Devin Richardson | TaMerik Williams | Rason Williams II | Ro Torrence | Nathan Pickering | Dee Williams | Devere Levelston | Kobe Lewis | Sunny Anderson | Mike Novitsky | Max Pircher | Easton Gibbs | Hayden Hatten | Garret Greenfield | Carlton Johnson | Matt Gotel |George Holani | Cody White | Ty Okada | Drake Thomas | McClendon Curtis | Easop Winston Jr. |Nelson Ceaser | Jonathan Sutherland | Lance Boykin | Joshua Onujiogu | Patrick O'Connell |Jack Westover | Raiqwon O'Neal | Tyler Mabry | Dareke Young | Tremayne Anchrum | DJ James | Artie Burns | Kenny McIntosh | Myles Adams | Dee Eskridge | Stone Forsythe