The Green Bay Packers are approaching free agency in 2025 with no priority free agents, plenty of salary cap space and a need to add veteran talent to a young, cheap and ascending roster.
One year after signing safety Xavier McKinney and running back Josh Jacobs in free agency, general manager Brian Gutekunst is in a position to make another splash in 2025.
Until free agency, Packers Wire will run through potential options, continuing today with cornerback D.J. Reed, in an attempt to identify the pros and cons of each potential target for Gutekunst.
Reed, who excelled for the New York Jets over the last three seasons, is one of the best defensive players available in the free agent class and plays a premium position.
Let’s dig into the pros and cons of the Packers going after Reed:
Pros
— Reed has played over 400 coverage snaps in five straight seasons. His coverage grade at PFF has been over 70.0 in all five seasons, and he hasn’t allowed more than two touchdown passes in a single season.
— Reed has played seven NFL seasons and is still only 28 years old.
— Reed defensed 32 total passes over the last three seasons with the Jets. He has only six career interceptions but also 51 passes defensed in 101 career games. Reed isn’t a big-time turnover-maker but he gets his hands on the football and knows how to disrupt targets.
— Reed is highly competitive in coverage and defends the run. He’s a strong tackler despite his size and has no hesitations doing the dirty work against perimeter runs.
— Reed excels in press man and would give Jeff Hafley more coverage options in 2025.
— The Packers need depth and more talent at cornerback this offseason. Adding Reed would help fix one of the team’s biggest roster needs before the draft.
— Keisean Nixon might want to be a No. 1 cornerback, but signing Reed could allow the Packers to use Nixon both outside and in the slot more often.
Cons
— Reed is going to cost a ton. He is one of the top defensive players entering free agency and plays a premium position, so his market will be strong. The Packers would have to pay big to get him to Green Bay.
— Reed is mostly a perimeter cornerback. He’s played over 4,000 career snaps outside and fewer than 500 in the slot.
— Reed has played opposite Sauce Gardner for a couple seasons in New York. It’s fair to wonder if he’s more of a No. 2 cornerback type — especially when the Packers would have to spend No. 1 cornerback money to get him.
— Reed is only 5-9 and under 190 pounds, so he’s a bit under what the Packers typically prefer at cornerback. However, they care less about elite size/athleticism when signing veteran players.
— Reed has already played for three different NFL teams.
— Reed committed 13 total penalties in 2024. Over the last two seasons, Reed has more penalties (23) than passes defensed (20).
— Reed has been mostly durable, but he has missed at least two games in three of the last four seasons and seven total games since 2021.
— The Packers liked the way Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine played at perimeter cornerback down the stretch. Is the upgrade from Nixon or Valentine worth what Reed will cost?