Have the Chiefs Done Enough to Replace Justin Reid?

With S Justin Reid leaving, have the Kansas City Chiefs done enough to fill the position?

Oct 23, 2022; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Mike Edwards (32) before the game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

There's been a lot of movement this off-season for many teams throughout the league. The Kansas City Chiefs are one of the teams that have felt this shift the most. While we hear how they managed to re-sign guard Trey Smith and linebacker Nick Bolton, a lesser-publicized move was their safety Justin Reid going to the New Orleans Saints.

Reid was one of their best defensive players and was a big reason the Chiefs' defense was considered so elite. In his three seasons with the team, the Chiefs were ranked a Top 10 defense in two of those years. Now that he's gone, Kansas City must find a way to bolster the defense and find a suitable replacement.

On Thursday, the Chiefs signed veteran safety Mike Edwards to a one-year deal. While he didn't play his best ball in 2024, he certainly knows his way around the game and will enter his 7th season in the league in 2025.

"Edwards, 28, returns to the Chiefs, with whom he won Super Bowl LVIII, after a season with the Bills and Buccaneers," wrote NFL.com. "Since being drafted by Tampa Bay in the third round of the 2019 draft, Edwards has started 30 of 83 regular-season games played, totaling 247 tackles, eight interceptions, four touchdowns and three sacks."

Aside from Edwards, the Chiefs have taken other measures to bolster their DB room. Earlier in March, Kansas City also signed Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton through the 2026 season. Not only does the move take pressure off All-Pro Trent McDuffie, but it also helps in the quest to cover the portion of the field that Reid used to protect.

While Reid was a unicorn at the safety position, the Chiefs have done well in structuring a well-balanced defense so that the loss of Reid and players such as defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton, won't affect the overall health of the team.

If they continue to make efforts to improve the defense as they've already been doing, the Chiefs shouldn't feel the absence of Reid too much.

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