After losing veteran cornerback Carlton Davis III on the first day of free agency to the New England Patriots, the Detroit Lions did not waste any time trying to find his replacement. The Lions immediately signed former New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed to a three-year, $48 million deal (with $30.9 million guaranteed).
The 28-year-old defensive back will likely play on the boundary opposite of Terrion Arnold, who was taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The addition of Reed should help Detroit’s pass defense this upcoming season, which allowed the third-most passing yards per game in 2024 (244).
Earlier this week, the new Lions cornerback was on the Jim Rome Show and was asked about his free agency approach and what he was looking for.
“It’s simple. I wanted a chance to win a Lombardi, bro,” Reed said. “That’s something that I want to do, I wanna win a Lombardi with my teammates, my coaches, with the organization. And I wanna go somewhere and just play good football, meaningful football. That was the main thing for me.”
"It's simple. I wanted a chance to win a Lombardi, bro."@D7_Reed on why he chose the @Lions as a free agent this offseason. pic.twitter.com/q7DMwQ9wiJ
— Jim Rome (@jimrome) March 28, 2025
“To be in Detroit, it’s a blessing bro,” Reed said with a smile. “God really works in mysterious ways. The ownership, the Fords, head coach (Dan) Campbell, everybody is just working as one, so I’m really looking forward to it.”
If you are a Lions fan, you love hearing a new player being excited about coming to Detroit. The Lions are starting to become a free agent destination for players, which is a testament to the culture that Campbell and GM Brad Holmes have created over the last few years.
Last season with the Jets, Reed had 64 combined tackles, 11 pass deflections, four tackles for loss, and a sack. He also possessed a 57.1 completion percentage allowed on targets, an 87.1 pass rating allowed when targeted, and only gave up two receiving touchdowns.
If Reed can have similar numbers this upcoming season under new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, there’s no reason why the Lions can’t be one of the best teams in the NFC and in the Super Bowl hunt again.