Patriots Should Poach Star Defender from Fierce Rival

The New England Patriots should steal away this star defender from their AFC East rivals during the NFL offseason.

Oct 31, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed (4) reacts after sacking Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are going to have a whole lot of needs heading into the NFL offseason. The good news is they are slated to have a wealth of cap space to address those issues.

While most of the Patriots' holes are on the offensive side of the ball, it's also pretty obvious that they need to improve defensively, as well.

New England needs a pass rusher or two. That much we know. But while that may be the team's most pressing area of need on defense, the Pats could also afford to add some secondary help.

Christian Gonzalez is a rising star at cornerback, but opposite Gonzalez, veteran corner Jonathan Jones will almost certainly be departing via free agency.

The Patriots will need to find a replacement somewhere, and while Charvarius Ward may be shooting a bit too high, New England could turn to a hated rival to fill that gap.

New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed is on track to hit the free-agent market in March, and Reed could represent a top target for the Pats.

Reed does not carry the same cachet as Sauce Gardner, but he has been a very valuable member to the Jets defense and has logged 37 tackles, a sack and eight passes defended in 2024.

Last season, the 28-year-old finished with 76 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble and nine passes defended.

The Kansas State product split the first four years of his career between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks before landing in New York in 2022.

Reed truly began to flourish during his final season with the Seahawks and then really broke out in his inaugural campaign with the Jets.

He isn't a Pro Bowler, but he is a very reliable defensive back who would absolutely provide the Patriots with an upgrade.

On top of that, Reed won't be quite as costly as Ward or some of the other top defenders that will be available.

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