As expected, Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid did indeed agree to terms with a new team in NFL free agency, but the odd part is where he ended up and how it relates to the player that he was originally brought in to replace.
According to a source of ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, “former Chiefs safety Justin Reid reached agreement today with the [New Orleans] Saints on a three-year, $31.5 million deal, including $22.25 million fully guaranteed.” Schefter added that “Reid is returning home to Louisiana.”
Why is this a bizarre coincidence? For starters, three years ago, the Saints poached former Chiefs starting safety and team leader Tyrann Mathieu in free agency.
Mathieu, like Reid, is also from the state of Louisiana. But it goes deeper than that.
After the news, ESPN insider Field Yates reminded that “like Mathieu, Justin Reid has gone from the [Houston] Texans to the Chiefs to the Saints,” following the same exact career path outside of the former’s early days in Arizona. “Justin Reid will now be paired with Tyrann Mathieu in New Orleans,” Yates added.
That last part was made official a few hours earlier on March 11, as New Orleans reporter Nick Underhill relayed that “Tyrann Mathieu and the Saints have agreed to a reworked deal that will keep him in New Orleans this season, according to a source.”
Underhill also noted that Mathieu’s new 2025 contract will be “worth up to $7.2 million with incentives.” Meaning Reid and Mathieu — two ex-Chiefs Super Bowl champions and defensive leaders — will take the field alongside one another in 2025, and it’s possible that Mathieu’s reworked deal actually helped make that happen.
Saints Continue to Target Former Chiefs Players
This is a curious move by the Saints, considering Reid and Mathieu are very similar players.
Of course, if the younger Reid were replacing Mathieu, it’d make more sense — following the exact same line of thinking that KC had in 2022. However, in this scenario, both suiting up alongside one another is a bit of a head-scratcher.
The other headline here is that the Saints continue to target ex-Chiefs.
Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was one of the more recent KC castoffs to sign with New Orleans. Joining Mathieu, defensive tackle Khalen Saunders, linebacker Willie Gay and now Reid.
Chiefs ‘Ready to Go With’ Youth Trio at Safety in 2025
Reid will certainly be missed, but he always felt like the odd man out entering the offseason. The veteran safety even said his goodbyes after the Super Bowl, seemingly anticipating this eventual outcome.
Following the reported signing in NOLA, Chiefs Digest insider Matt Derrick reported that the “Chiefs [are] ready to go with Jaden Hicks, Bryan Cook and Chamarri Conner as their top three safeties in 2025.”
Kansas City also has 2024 undrafted prospect Christian Roland-Wallace on the roster for depth after his impressive rookie campaign.
If Conner is indeed moving back to safety full-time, it would help explain the Chiefs’ pursuit of cornerback Kristian Fulton, who KC reportedly agreed to pay $20 million once the new league year begins on March 12.
With Fulton and Jaylen Watson on the perimeter, Trent McDuffie could move back inside to his natural position manning the slot. That would then push Conner — who had transitioned over to nickelback — back to safety.
In this scenario, Conner and Hicks would presumably compete for starting snaps behind Cook.
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