The Chiefs, Saints may pursue former fifth-rounder cornerback DJ Reed in a trade before the deadline this week. According to reports, the Jets may not look to trade Reed but the chances of them running the table are slim. New York was close to tanking this year and found a way to beat the Texans, boosting their postseason push. Reed is already on an expiring contract so it might be safe to trade him to a contender since the Jets haven’t able to consistently win games.
Originally selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Kansas State product has been having an excellent campaign this 2024 after recording an 81.8 PFF grade. Last year, he was close to being an above-average cornerback but now his true ball-hawking abilities are showing. His play is setting up for a huge payday this offseason but the question is whether or not the Jets will have that kind of money. However, the Jets may be better off trading Reed for some offensive talent in return for Aaron Rodgers since they would have to worry about extending another defender, Sauce Gardner.
Rodgers is aging and probably will head into another rebuild in the next two years so Reed’s future heading into his prime might be better for him to land elsewhere. Reed will try to lead the defense to a postseason but they’re two losses away from being out of the playoff picture. The Chiefs and Saints are probably the best teams that need a consistent cornerback, a DJ Reed trade could make sense to fill the temporary wound.
Chiefs, Saints May Pursue Former Fifth Rounder DJ Reed in Trade
Three-Peat Run
The Chiefs could use some more secondary help after trading for DeAndre Hopkins to bolster their offense. Even though Kansas City haven’t lost a game yet this season, it doesn’t mean they’ll go undefeated on the year. They’ll make the playoffs and as competitive as the AFC is this season, Kansas City must do something to help boost the airfield. Josh Uche is a productive addition to help the pass-rushing unit but they can’t achieve more interceptions in the year if it means just getting after the quarterback.
Plenty of rosters this postseason will utilize throwing the football to potentially dethrone the back-to-back Super Bowl champions. After trading L’Jarius Sneed this past offseason, the Chiefs knew they had to build a new afterlife among Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson. However, Watson will miss the remainder of the season so the Chiefs must act fast to help accommodate the opposite of McDuffie. Reed might not be no Marshon Lattimore but it’s enough to keep quarterbacks hesitant throwing the football his way.
Saving the Saints
Dennis Allen will likely lose his job in the next two weeks if he can’t find a win. After losing seven straight games, the Saints were on a strong start at 2-0 but injuries and consistent issues have been piling up. Rumors have been swirling that the team could firesale talent like Marshon Lattimore, Chase Young, Cameron Jordan and more. However, this doesn’t mean the Saints can’t start building now for the future since Lattimore will probably be out the door this week.
The season may be over for New Orleans but they could keep their head above water and become buyers for a Reed trade. It may take a lot to get someone like Reed but the Saints might have to start thinking about the longevity of the program. Paulson Adebo won’t return until next season so some extra support alongside him might be beneficial to create a great secondary defense again.
