The Detroit Lions' start to free agency wasn't what fans expected when the market opened on Monday afternoon. Losing players is a part of the NFL offseason experience, and that's exactly what the Lions went through as cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu joined the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins, respectively.
Fortunately, the Lions didn't ignore their secondary after those losses, making a big splash by signing stud CB D.J. Reed to a three-year, $48 million contract. Detroit fans can't wait to see the impact Reed will make on the gridiron, and by the sound of things, his new teammates are excited, too.
Lions Free Agency News: Amik Robertson Reacts to DJ Reed Signing
Less than 24 hours after Reed's signing was reported, Lions CB Amik Robertson hopped on X to share his thoughts on the deal. Clearly, the veteran ballhawk is pumped to welcome his new teammate to the fold.
"DJ Reed (is a) 5'9" menace... We gone rock!!" Robertson posted to the social media site.
Reed, 28, is a seven-year NFL veteran with 101 regular-season appearances under his belt. The former Kansas State product has become one of the league's most disruptive cornerbacks in recent years, and the hope is that he can have a similar reputation in the Motor City.
Robertson was drafted 142nd overall by the San Francisco 49ers in 2018, spending two seasons in the Bay and another pair with the Seattle Seahawks before joining the New York Jets on a three-year, $33 million contract in March 2022. He played well more often than not during his time with the Jets, registering 177 solo tackles, 32 broken-up passes, two interceptions, a pair of forced fumbles, and a sack.
Reed is typically reliable at covering opposing wideouts, having recorded a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 75.7 across the last six seasons. Although his grade of 70.1 last season was among the worst performances of his career, the underwhelming mark likely had to do more with the Jets having one of the worst defenses in the league rather than an individual issue.
Assuming that Reed arrives in Detroit at the top of his game, Lions fans — much like Robertson — have plenty to be excited about. Even though he might not be able to replicate Davis' presence perfectly, the 28-year-old CB is more than talented enough to make an enemy quarterback think twice before throwing the football against Dan Campbell's team.