Seattle Seahawks 90-Man Roundup: Can Jarran Reed Replicate Strong 2023 Production?

With free agency coming up next March, Jarran Reed will be looking to duplicate his success from a year ago for the Seahawks in a new defense with an eye on the future.

Corbin K. Smith | Jul 1, 2024

Sep 24, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) celebrates after forcing a turnover on downs by sacking Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton (14, background) during the fourth quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports / Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks will open training camp at the VMAC in less than a month, officially ushering in the first season under new coach Mike Macdonald.

In preparation for the new incoming season, we’ll be detailing every member of the Seahawks 90-man roster over the next several weeks, diving into scheme fits, exploring best and worst case scenarios and predicting what to expect from each player entering the 2024 campaign.

Coming off one of his best seasons in his return to Seattle, can the Seahawks count on Jarran Reed to produce similar numbers in a contract year playing in a new defense?

Background

Starting his career with the Seahawks as a second-round pick out of Alabama, Reed came from the college ranks with a reputation as an early down run stuffing defensive tackle. However, after registering only 1.5 sacks in each of his first two seasons in the Pacific Northwest, he broke out with a spectacular 10.5-sack campaign in 2018, joining Hall of Famers Cortez Kennedy and John Randle as the only defensive tackles in franchise history to reach the milestone. After posting 6.5 sacks in 2020, the team released him in a cap-creating maneuver and he spent two seasons with the Chiefs and Packers before returning to the Pacific Northwest in 2023. Rejuvenated by his homecoming, Reed produced seven sacks, the second-highest total of his career, along with a career-high 54 combined tackles and seven tackles for loss.

Scheme Fit

Though Reed primarily played defensive tackle at Alabama, he has been far more versatile in the NFL, as the 307-pound defender has logged more than 1,000 career reps covering the tackle as a big end to go along with 3,045 snaps as a 3-tech/4i-tech defensive tackle and 948 snaps as a nose tackle shading the A gap or covering the center. In Mike Macdonald's scheme, he should see action at all three spots in different fronts.

Best Case Scenario

Continuing to play at a high level and boasting the versatility to thrive in Macdonald's defense, Reed remains entrenched in the starting lineup alongside Leonard Williams and wreaks havoc on quarterbacks, hitting half a dozen sacks and eclipsing 35 pressures for a second straight season as a key contributor for a much improved unit.

Worst Case Scenario

Beginning to show signs of wear and tear after playing over 800 snaps in 2023, Reed starts off slow out of the gate, leading to the Seahawks supplanting him in the starting lineup with first-round pick Byron Murphy II. While he still makes an impact, he doesn't come close to matching his numbers from the season prior heading towards free agency.

What to Expect in 2024

Sacks can be a sporadic statistic year to year, especially for defensive tackles like Reed, who has never had back-to-back seasons with three or more sacks. Based on that track record, asking the 31-year old to come close to seven sacks for the Seahawks again may be wishful thinking at best, but that doesn't mean he can't remain a difference maker. His ability to move up and down the line of scrimmage will be a major asset in Macdonald's defense and as demonstrated last year once again, he can hold his own against the run and create disruption in the backfield without sacks.

Even with the arrival of Murphy, Reed should open the new season as one of Seattle's starters up front, and it's possible he could stay in the spot for the entire season even as the rookie starts to cut into snap counts. But if that happens, that may not be a bad thing for the player or the team, as Macdonald will likely want to avoid the veteran playing as much as he did a year ago to keep him fresh and productive as the season unfolds. At worst, he should continue to be a key contributor in the trenches with the upside to turn in another strong season in a scheme well-suited for his skills.

Previous 90-Man Roundups

Published Jul 1, 2024

CORBIN K. SMITH

Graduating from Manchester College in 2012, Smith began his professional career as a high school Economics teacher in Indianapolis and launched his own NFL website covering the Seahawks as a hobby. After teaching and coaching high school football for five years, he transitioned to a full-time sports reporter in 2017, writing for USA Today's Seahawks Wire while continuing to produce the Legion of 12 podcast. He joined the Arena Group in August 2018 and also currently hosts the daily Locked On Seahawks podcast with Rob Rang and Nick Lee. Away from his coverage of the Seahawks and the NFL, Smith dabbles in standup comedy, is a heavy metal enthusiast and previously performed as lead vocalist for a metal band, and enjoys distance running and weight lifting. A habitual commuter, he resides with his wife Natalia in Colorado and spends extensive time reporting from his second residence in the Pacific Northwest.