Top New York Jets Cornerback Was Washington Commanders Trade Target

The New York Jets were just one of several teams that the Washington Commanders called about getting a cornerback via trade.

Oct 14, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed (4) breaks up a pass for Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) second half at MetLife Stadium. / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

The only deal the New York Jets made on Tuesday at the trade deadline was sending wide receiver Mike Williams to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a draft pick.

But, it’s not to say the Jets weren’t fielding calls from other teams for other players.

The Washington Commanders were looking for cornerback help to try and bolster its burgeoning postseason hopes.

Eventually, Washington acquired New Orleans cornerback Marshon Lattimore. The Commanders gave up a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick in 2025, along with a sixth-round pick acquired in a previous trade. Washington also received a 2025 fifth-round pick from New Orleans.

But, before Washington pulled the trigger on Lattimore, they called the Jets looking for cornerback help. Their target, per The Athletic, was D.J. Reed.

The Jets told the Commanders that Reed wasn’t available. And for good reason.

Even though the seventh-year pro has missed two games due to injury, he’s closing in on his career high in passes defended. He has eight of them in seven games and his career best is 12, set in 2022 in his first season with New York.

Given the amount of injuries the Jets have incurred in their secondary, keeping Reed wasn’t a luxury — it was a necessity. New York had two safeties out for last Thursday’s game with Houston — Tony Adams and Ashtyn Davis. Another safety, Chuck Clark, is on injured reserve for at least two more game.

At one point both Reed and fellow cornerback Michael Carter II were out of the lineup at the same time, leaving New York depleted at corner.

Reed enters Sunday’s game with Arizona with 29 tackles (23 solo) and two tackles for loss.

He joined the Jets in 2022 on a three-year, $33 million contract, so he’s playing into his free-agent season.

Before joining New York, he spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons with Seattle after he was claimed off waivers. With the Seahawks he broke through into a serious contributor on the field, as he had 62 tackles in 2020 and 78 tackles in 2021. In both of those seasons he missed multiple games.

He started his pro career with San Francisco after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Kansas State. He had a solid rookie season in 2018 with 41 tackles but took a drop-off in 2019 when he had just 13 tackles.

With the Wildcats, he was the Big 12 defensive newcomer of the year in 2016 and an all-Big 12 Conference selection in 2017.