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 The New York Jets and the nine-time Pro Bowl safety agreed to
terms on a contract Thursday, bringing one of the NFL's greatest
playmaking defensive players to a secondary on a pass defense that
ranks 24th in the league.
The 35-year-old Reed was released Tuesday by Houston, cleared
waivers Wednesday and joined the Jets a day later. He was with his
new Jets teammates on the practice field wearing a green No. 22
jersey; his familiar No. 20 is currently worn by cornerback Kyle
Wilson.
The Jets released outside linebacker Ricky Sapp to make room on the
roster for Reed.
Ryan, who coached Reed for several years in Baltimore, acknowledged
Wednesday that he and general manager John Idzik discussed the
possibility of adding him.
"If we did, I keep that conversation private and all that kind of
stuff," Ryan said. "But part of due diligence, if you've coached a
player, I'm sure you would want that input. So, did we have it? I
think it's safe to say yes."
Ryan went on to say "absolutely, yes" he would like Reed on his team
— just as he wants any player he has coached or "bled for me."
Reed has always been one of Ryan's favorites, and he once labeled
him the greatest safety to play the game. While his physical skills
no longer make him one of the game's elite players, Reed will be
able to serve as a leader in the secondary and help bring along
young safeties Antonio Allen, Jaiquawn Jarrett and Josh Bush.
There's a good chance Reed will be ready to play Sunday at Buffalo,
at least in certain situations, and it is a low-risk, high-reward
situation for the Jets. While Ryan has said he liked his group of
safeties, adding a player of Reed's experience, familiarity with the
system and playmaking potential was clearly seen as a positive by
both Ryan and Idzik. Reed missed the Texans' first two games after
offseason hip surgery and was relegated to a backup role behind
Shiloh Keo in recent games, making just 16 tackles. He was
unhappy about not starting in Houston after signing a
three-year, $15 million deal in the offseason following 11 years
in Baltimore. Reed also criticized the team for being outplayed
and outcoached after the Texans' seventh straight loss last
Sunday.
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Reed, who won a Super Bowl last season with the Ravens, has a
long list of accolades and was honored as the NFL's top
defensive player in 2004. He has dealt with hip, neck and right
shoulder injuries in recent years, but made it through last
season without missing a game, making 58 tackles and
intercepting four passes.
In 11-plus seasons, the ball-hawking Reed has 61 interceptions —
seven returned for touchdowns — six sacks and two fumbles
returned for scores. He is a five-time All-Pro who also holds
the NFL record with 1,541 yards on interception returns. Reed's
nine career postseason interceptions, including one in the
Ravens' Super Bowl win, tie him for the league mark.
The move brings to mind a similar one made by the Jets to bring
one of the NFL's greatest safeties in at the end of his career,
when they signed Ronnie Lott in 1993 and he played two seasons
with New York.
Reed also joins a growing list of former Ravens who played in
Ryan's defense in Baltimore. Bart Scott, Jim Leonhard, Marques
Douglas, Trevor Pryce, Derrick Mason, Antwan Barnes and Dawan
Landry have all come to New York after playing in Baltimore
since Ryan became the Jets coach in 2009.
New England was also believed to be interested in Reed, although
coach Bill Belichick wouldn't say Wednesday whether he would
want to add him to the Patriots.
Next weekend will surely be interesting for Reed, when he
returns to Baltimore for the second time this season as an
opponent as the Jets play the Ravens. He had three tackles in
Houston's 30-9 loss at Baltimore in Week 3.
 ___
AP NFL website:
http://www.pro32.ap.org/
[Associated
Press; DENNIS WASZAK Jr., AP Sports Writer]
Copyright 2013 The Associated
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