Jarran Reed insinuates he’s one-and-done with KC Chiefs

It was the likeliest of all scenarios that defensive tackle Jarran Reed was going to be one-and-done with the Kansas City Chiefs even coming into the 2021 NFL season. On Wednesday, he took to Twitter to unofficially confirm as much with a goodbye to the fans and organization.

When the Chiefs first signed Reed last March, he was fresh off his surprising release from the Seattle Seahawks. Reed had wanted new money and security in the form of an extension at the same time the franchise wanted him to restructure. The Seahawks then decided to cut him outright just as free agency was getting into motion.

At that point, the Chiefs won the sweepstakes to sign Reed, a surprising entrant into the free-agent market at defensive tackle. It was a welcome addition given his experience, age, and skill set, and it felt like the Chiefs got him at a bargain rate for only $5.5 million for a single season—low cost and low commitment.

Defensive tackle Jarran Reed posted on Twitter a goodbye of sorts to Kansas City that makes it sound like he’s one-and-done for the Chiefs.

Given the nature of his deal, Reed seemed like a player who was ready to sign on with a contender in hopes of leveraging that into a much bigger payday the following year. Now it appears Reed will test those waters next month in free agency once again—this time as part of a planned route instead of the rude release a year ago.

If Reed is “onto the next chapter,” it’s a solid loss for the Chiefs. Reed definitely needed time to adjust to what the defense asked of him in 2021, but he came on strong in the second half of the season and proved himself to be a valuable starter along the defensive front. He was also a very reliable performer who didn’t miss a single game for the Chiefs. Reed finished the year with 43 total tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 19 pressures, 10 quarterback hits, and 2.5 sacks in 17 games.

Perhaps the market will dictate agreeable terms for him to return to the Chiefs but it appears Reed is one-and-done in Kansas City. It’s too bad it didn’t end with a Super Bowl appearance but the defense came close and Reed was a nice part up front for the Chiefs in 2021.