Veteran safety Justin Reid could be a target for the Denver Broncos during free agency. However, his price tag and market value may be far higher than what the franchise is willing to pay for an upgrade at safety.
One of the position groups the Denver Broncos will seek to add more talent to this offseason is safety. As mentioned in my Camryn Bynum profile, Head Coach Sean Payton stated that’s one area the team is seeking an upgrade. It’s just a question of whether or not that’s via free agency, the draft, or perhaps both.
There are a lot of quality options available on the market. Former Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid is one of the top-ranked and well-known players available. Should the Broncos pursue prying him away from their vaunted AFC West rival? Let’s take a look and see if Reid would be an option worth pursuing.
Justin Reid among safeties over the past two weeks:
91.0 coverage grade (1st)
9 targets
10 receiving yards allowed
1 interception
2 forced incompletions
21.3 passer rating allowed pic.twitter.com/T8qx8r3sMq— PFF KC Chiefs (@PFF_Chiefs) January 1, 2025
Justin Reid — Safety
Age: 28 | Experience: Eighth | Height: 6’1” | Weight: 207 pounds
A third-round pick by the Houston Texans in the 2018 NFL Draft, former Stanford standout Justin Reid has started 102 of the 106 games he has played. After his four-year contract expired with the Texans, Reid signed with the Chiefs in free agency three years ago and is now a two-time Super Bowl champion. In seven years in the National Football League, he has accrued 580 tackles, 10 interceptions, 46 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. However, despite being a highly productive player, he has never been a Pro-Bowl or All-Pro player.
Why the Broncos should sign Justin Reid
Snagging a quality player from a division rival that doesn’t have the cap space to retain all their big-named free agents isn’t a bad idea. It would be a significant loss for Kansas City, as well as providing an instant upgrade over P.J. Locke for Denver. That’s a win-win situation.
Reid was utilized in a myriad of fashions in the Chiefs’ defense. He has played everything from single-high, to split, and slot coverages. With seven years of experience under his belt, he is a battle-tested and proven veteran. He would also bring quality leadership skills to a young defensive unit as well.
Over the past few seasons, he has become one of the better tackling safeties in the league and cut his missed tackle rate in half from his years with the Texans. According to Pro Football Focus, Reid’s 77.4 coverage grade was 12th best among all safeties in 2024 and his run defense grade of 75.9 was ranked 31st.
Why the Broncos shouldn’t sign Justin Reid
Just like with Bynum, the estimated cost of Reid is the primary reason the Broncos shouldn’t sign him. He is a good football player; there’s no doubt about that. But there is no reason Denver needs to spend as much as $17 million a year on a starting safety. That’s what some believe his projected contract value to be.
Though I’m guessing he will ink a contract that’s a few million less in average annual value. That’s still elite money, but Reid isn’t an elite player. Nevertheless, spending that much on a safety wouldn’t be the wisest allocation of resources in free agency. Denver would be best suited to invest that much elsewhere and likely snag two starting players at various positions for the same price.
Final thoughts
Reid would be a quality fit for Vance Joseph’s defense and brings a lot of positives to the table. However, his annual salary and cap allocation is far too much for Denver to consider upgrading their safety position. That’s why I’m out on Reid as a potential free agent target for the Broncos.