Last year at this time, Jarran Reed decided on taking a rather team-friendly deal with a contender in order to both showcase what he could do for another big payday as well as chase a ring. One year later, none of those things came to pass and he’s facing free agency with his stock as an available defensive lineman a bit more muddled.
So far in free agency, we’ve not heard anything of note about Reed and any potential interest, but on Thursday night, the word of his first visit leaked saying Reed would be going to the Cincinnati Bengals for a closer look.
The Chiefs grabbed Reed on a one-year deal at this time last year in a bit of a surprise release from the Seattle Seahawks. At the time, it was a move that felt like a random gift that would only elevate the defensive line to elite heights. Instead, nothing ever really materialized around Reed’s presence with the team.
Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Jarran Reed is taking his first free agent visit with the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s hard to pinpoint what specifically went wrong with Reed’s hopes up front for the Chiefs because so much went wrong overall. Chris Jones was playing outside early in some odd experiment. Frank Clark was never healthy for the first half of the season or more. Reed was dealing with his first new scheme and coaching staff in his NFL career away from Seattle. And several other players in levels behind them—from Willie Gay to Anthony Hitchens to Charvarius Ward—were all missing considerable time with injuries.
When added up, the Chiefs defense looked horrible and Reed was there sitting in the middle of it all. That’s not to say it’s all on him, but rather that he was one of the players dumped upon when the performance didn’t match the expectation.
Here’s the good news for the Bengals or any other interested team: Reed comes with a history of being disruptive as an interior player while simultaneously holding up well against the run. He also played all 17 games for the Chiefs and should remain a very reliable player in terms of availability. He also came on stronger as the season went on and he adjusted to the team and/or had healthy teammates around him.
Even as he prepares to turn 30 next winter, Reed should still be provide some team with a well-rounded presence along the defensive front. It’s just too bad things didn’t materialize as hoped with the Chiefs last year.