The Green Bay Packers bolstered their defensive line on Tuesday by signing free agent Jarran Reed. Reed should add talent and depth to an area that the Packers needed to bolster. Defensive line was already lacking depth after the release of Kingsley Keke late last season and the anticipated departure of Tyler Lancaster in free agency.
The addition of Reed should help free up Kenny Clark to make more plays as he should be able to line up in different positions along the defensive line to create more favorable matchups. It will also prevent offensive lines from focusing exclusively on Clark.
Here are 10 things you may not know about the latest addition to the Packers defense:
- He Won Two National Championships In College
Reed has been a winner throughout his football career. In college, he won two national championships with two different schools.
In 2013, he won the NJCAA national championship with East Mississippi Community College. After two years there, he transferred to Alabama and was part of their national championship team in 2015. Some of his teammates at Alabama included Derrick Henry, O.J. Howard, Calvin Ridley and former Packers punter, JK Scott.
- Reed Was a Second Round Draft Choice
The Seahawks selected Reed in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the 49th overall pick. He played in 15 games as a rookie, starting six of them. He recorded 1.5 sacks and made 34 total tackles in his first year in the NFL.
- His Best NFL Season Was 2018
Reed’s best statistical season came with Seattle in 2018 when he had 50 tackles including 12 tackles for loss and recorded 10.5 sacks. All those numbers were career highs by a wide margin.
- He Has a History of Pressuring Passers
While Reed is a very good run defender, he can also put pressure on the passer. He had double-digit quarterback hits in three of the last four seasons including 12 in 17 games last year with the Chiefs. By comparison, Packers DL Kenny Clark had a career-high 13 quarterback hits last season.
- His Number
Reed will wear number 90 for the Packers, the same number he wore in five or his six seasons in the NFL. In 2019, he wore number 91 after the Seahawks signed Jadeveon Clowney but he returned to number 90 in 2020.
Other Packers who wore number 90 include Ezra Johnson, Tony Bennett and B.J. Raji.
- Packers Connections
Among Reed’s NFL teammates are present and former Packers like TE Jimmy Graham, P Jon Ryan, RB Eddie Lacy, QB Brett Hundley and DB Damarious Randall.
- He Has Been Suspended by the NFL
The NFL suspended Reed for the first six games of the 2019 season due to an alleged incident of domestic violence that took place on April 27, 2017. The incident was investigated by the Bellevue (Washington) police department and no charges were filed against Reed.
- Reed Has Been Durable
Other than the six-game suspension, Reed has only missed two games in his six seasons in the NFL. He played 15 games in his rookie season and 15 games in his second year in the league and then played in all games he was eligible to play in over the last four seasons.
- He Has Never Played for a Losing Team
In six NFL seasons, Reed has never played for a losing team. He has started nine playoff games during his career, including the 2019 NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Packers and Seahawks at Lambeau Field.
In those nine playoff games, the former Alabama star has three sacks, six quarterback hits and four tackles for loss while making 16 total tackles.
Reed has yet to play in a Super Bowl and reached a conference championship game for the first time last year with the Chiefs. Kansas City was upset by the Bengals in that game.
- Favorite NFL Team Growing Up
Reed is from Goldsboro, North Carolina, but he grew up a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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