Bleacher Report released a list of the most overlooked additions of the 2022 NFL offseason. Seven names appear on the ranking in total, and of those, two are members of the New York Jets.
In fact, the two Jets to appear are named the two most overlooked of the entire group. That pairing is safety Jordan Whitehead and cornerback DJ Reed.
On paper, Whitehead should be an upgrade in New York. But where B/R sees the overlooked aspect is off the field. Whitehead brings a championship pedigree:
The safety is 25 years old, is a highly productive player (73 tackles, five TFL, two interceptions and eight passes defended in 2021) and, most importantly, has been part of a turnaround once before.
In Whitehead’s first two seasons, the Bucs were 12-20. With Tom Brady and a stellar defense, the Bucs have gone 24-9 with a Super Bowl win over the last two seasons.
Now, Whitehead brings that culture shift to New York.
On Reed, the reason for the overlooking relates to the reason why the cornerback has been surpassed in his career. At only 5-foot-9, Reed doesn’t have great length for an outside defender, but there’s no debating he hasn’t gotten the job done.
Despite Reed’s addition, he is not the player many have their eye on in New York. Instead it’s first-round rookie Sauce Gardner. That’s understandable, but Reed’s signing should also give Gardner a bit of time to grow into pro game.
All in all, a savvy addition by the Jets this offseason is how B/R sees this one:
Of all the secondary players who were given contracts in excess of $10 million in annual average value, Reed might be the best bet to play above his compensation.
While the attention is going to be on first-round pick Sauce Gardner in the secondary, Reed is coming off his best season. He was the eighth-highest-graded corner by PFF this past season and allowed a completion percentage of just 47.8 percent on his targets.
There were factors that likely drove down Reed’s market. He’s an outside corner who is only 5’9″, 188 pounds, and he’s missed some time with a groin injury and torn pectoral over the last two seasons.
However, those injuries haven’t impacted his play when he’s been on the field, and he’s a good fit in Robert Saleh’s Cover 3 defense.
Reed’s signing will elevate the team’s defense, and it’s the most overlooked addition of the offseason.
