Robert Saleh has returned to the 49ers as their defensive coordinator and is expected to bring some former Jets with him.
One soon-to-be former Jet the 49ers could sign is cornerback D.J. Reed. He will be a free agent when the new league year starts on March 12 and probably will not re-sign with the Jets considering they have a brand-new coaching staff and need to rebuild.
That’s why Pro Football Focus wants Reed to sign with the 49ers.
“With Robert Saleh returning to San Francisco as defensive coordinator, Reed and the 49ers should have a mutual interest in reaching a deal to reunite the cornerback with his former defensive play caller in New York,” writes PFF analyst Mason Cameron. “Reed endured a noticeable drop in PFF coverage grade pre- and post-Saleh coaching with the Jets, with his 90.8 mark plummeting to 54.0 from Week 6 onward this season.
“Since 2021 — when Saleh was hired as the New York Jets‘ head coach — no defense has run more quarters coverage than Saleh’s Jets. During Reed’s time with Saleh in New York, he earned a 90.1 PFF coverage grade in quarters looks.
“Saleh also highly values outside cornerback who can stand up in man coverage in his scheme, something Reed has excelled at. In their time together, Reed clocked 469 man coverage snaps, forced an incompletion on more than 17% of targets into his coverage and earned an 83.1 PFF coverage grade.”
I’m sure Saleh would love to bring Reed to the 49ers, but they just gave cornerback Deommodore Lenoir a five-year deal worth more than $88 million and they generally don’t spend big bucks on two cornerbacks at the same time.
Instead of Reed, the 49ers are more likely to sign Jets linebacker Jamien Sherwood if Dre Greenlaw leaves in free agency as he most likely will.
