2022 NFL Free Agency: Seahawks lose cornerback D.J. Reed to the Jets

For the second offseason in a row, the Seattle Seahawks have let their top cornerback walk in free agency.

D.J. Reed, who went from a nickel option for Seattle to the team’s eventual #1 outside corner, has agreed to a three-year contract with the New York Jets. This will reunite Reed with head coach Robert Saleh, who was the defensive coordinator when Reed was with the San Francisco 49ers.

Reed recorded 17 passes defensed and four interceptions in his 24 regular season games with the Seahawks. Pro Football Reference’s advanced stats had him allowing just four touchdowns during his time in Seattle and quarterbacks did not complete even half of their passes when throwing his way in the 2021 season. He played bigger than his 5’9” frame and quickly became an important part of Seattle’s defense.

The Seahawks did re-sign Sidney Jones on Monday and are surely expecting big things from Tre Brown when he returns from injury... but that sentence also highlights the need for more cornerback help. Jones has a serious injury history on him and Brown had a reported “long-term” knee issue dating back to when he was at Oklahoma, and it’s that same knee he ended up injuring in his first year with Seattle.

In other words, cornerback is once again a very glaring need for the Seahawks.

Good luck to D.J. in New York and congrats to him for securing the bag. We only wish he secured it in the Emerald City.