There's No Ignoring Contributions from Jets' Other Cornerback DJ Reed

Veteran landed on Frelund's 'underappreciated' list heading into second season as Gang Green's CB2

© Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The brightness of Sauce Gardner's star has unintentionally overshadowed a gem in the New York Jets' secondary. 

A little more than one month before selecting Gardner at No. 4 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, Gang Green signed a free agent cornerback who spent his first four pro seasons in the NFC West. 

D.J. Reed, who played two seasons for San Francisco followed by two years in Seattle, came across the country for a three-year contract reportedly worth $33 million.

"I think it's obvious, but people look at my height and say, 'Oh, he's a good CB2.' Well, like, no," said the 5-foot-9 Reed in 2022. "If you watch the tape from last year and the year before that, it's CB1. My stats compared to the All-Pros last year, from Jalen Ramsey to A.J. Terrell to -- who else was it? - J.C. Jackson. My stats are with those guys. And I'm going to take another step this year."

Following a strong 2021 campaign, Reed showed a lockdown ability during his first season with the Jets. The Kansas State product started all 17 games for the Green & White, accounting for 80 combined stops and 12 passes defensed. 

The season-long performance was enough to land Reed on a league-wide list of "underappreciated players."

In her "NFL's most underappreciated players" report, data analytics expert Cynthia Frelund used context-based models to identify the most underappreciated player on each team. Reed was the top result for the Jets. 

Frelund's most underappreciated Jets player:

D.J. Reed, CB (Age: 26)

APY: $11 million (17th among cornerbacks)

We shouldn't let a stellar draft class (which included eventual Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson and Defensive Rookie of the Year Sauce Gardner) overshadow the exceptional free agent crop from a ridiculously strong 2022 offseason by general manager Joe Douglas. The Reed signing was one of the most underrated moves of all of free agency last year. NGS shows he was targeted on 14.3 percent of coverage snaps in 2022, the seventh-lowest rate at the position among those with 300-plus coverage snaps. (Respect.) Further, he allowed just 5.3 yards per target, which was the fifth-lowest of that group. (Earned respect.)

— Cynthia Frelund

NFL's most underappreciated players: D.J. Reed among @cfrelund's AFC pickshttps://t.co/TCLKpwSgHZ pic.twitter.com/95pLCmEQ2B

— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) May 24, 2023

A total-contribution metric (or win share) that measures each player's production during the previous season is at the foundation of Frelund's methodology. She also factored in each player's salary by position and weighted players drafted in Round 2 or later who have been to no more than two Pro Bowls and aren't in the top 10 at their position.

The formula uncovered Reed's high value to a defense that ranked fourth in the NFL last year. 

Advanced statistics show that Reed limited opposing receivers to 5.8 yards per target in 2022. Offenses targeted the Jets' CB2 85 times in 17 games and he permitted only two touchdowns while holding his counterparts to 9.1 yards per completion.

"I definitely want to get better," said Reed while speaking at the Jets' facility after a Phase 3 OTAs practice. "I went over with my get-betters with my coach T.O. [Tony Oden]. So, I definitely can improve on several things."

Reed foresees an even better personal performance in 2023.

"This is my second year in the defense, so I feel like I'm going to play better this year than last year, just from being out there for my second year," said Reed, a former fifth-round draft pick.

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