The New York Jets are facing a situation in which they will have to replace one of their starting cornerbacks during the 2025 offseason, as D.J. Reed is a pending free agent and is not expected to return.
Reed signed a three-year, $33 million deal with the Jets in free agency back in 2022 and was a very effective player for New York’s defense but flew under the radar quite a bit with Sauce Gardner often taking the spotlight.
With Reed set to hit free agency in 2025, the 28-year-old made his intentions clear as far as what his plans are when speaking to Go Long’s Tyler Dunne, and those plans don’t appear to involve returning to the Jets.
“I’m ready to go to free agency, bro,” Reed said to Dunne “I’m ready to see what’s next for me.”
With Reed seemingly set to depart New York, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox is predicting he will land with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency. Reed was a former fifth-round pick of the Niners in 2018, so he’s already familiar with the franchise.
The prediction here is Reed returns to the 49ers, who could use additional cornerback depth even if they retain impending free agent Charvarius Ward. San Francisco’s defense disappointed in 2024, and the unit finished 19th in net yards per pass attempt allowed.
It’s also worth noting former Jets head coach Robert Saleh has returned to San Francisco and his old role as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. While things didn’t work out for Saleh in New York, he may be interested in taking a few familiar faces with him to the Bay Area.
Retaining Ward and adding Reed could be difficult financially, but it isn’t impossible. The 49ers have $45.1 million in projected cap space.
All signs are pointing to Charvarius Ward, who is a pending free agent, leaving the Niners. The star cornerback revealed that he’s “got a lot of trauma in California” after the tragic death of his daughter and may want to play elsewhere in 2025.
“I’ve got a lot of trauma in California,” Ward said, per ESPN. “I had a lot of great times, but the worst thing that’s ever happened to me, that’s probably going to ever happen to me — knock on wood — happened in California. It can just bring up bad memories. Every time I get on a plane and come back to California, Santa Clara, San Jose, and show up here, it just brings up bad memories.
“I go through that every day. I go home every night by myself because my girl, she doesn’t want to come back to California because of what happened,” he added. “So, it is hard being alone, and she’s my strength right now. I need her, and so her not being able to be around me if I’m in California, it’d be tough.”
Reed would be a strong replacement for Ward. The Jets pending free agent gave up a completion rate of 57.1% and a passer rating of 87.1 last season. Those marks were the third- and fifth-best of his career.
According to Spotrac, Reed is projected to land a four-year, $58.6 million deal in free agency, which is very possible considering his status as one of the best cornerbacks set to hit the open market.
Per Over the Cap, the Niners are projected to have a healthy $48.2 million in cap space in 2025 before making any cuts, so they have the funds to afford Reed if they’re interested.
