The New Orleans Saints haven't had the splashiest offseason, but their biggest free agent signing fills a massive need.
Former Chiefs star Justin Reid will form a dynamic pairing alongside Tyrann Mathieu in the secondary of new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's defense, as he broke down on WWL Radio.
"[The scheme] is dynamic," Reid said. "It's gonna be really exciting because it's gonna be trying to put people in position to make plays."
Listen to the full interview with Justin Reid in the player above. Can't see the embed? Click here.
There's still a lot to learn for both the player and coach, but initial conversations have gone well. NFL rules limit contact between players and coaches during the offseason for football purposes, but initial conversations have centered around one of Reid's premiere skills and how it'll be utilized in the defense. That skill is the ability to hold looks and disguise coverages, a tactic Staley employed often as defensive coordinator for the Rams and head coach of the Chargers.
"One of my strengths is being able to hold looks and organize the defense and talk to my partner safety as well as the other DBs and be able to get guys on the same page so that we can present a different look that the quarterback might not be prepared for," Reid said. "Because this game and this day and age, the best quarterbacks in the league ... if you tell them what coverage you’re in, they’re just gonna pick you apart, so if you’re able to cause some confusion and make them have to post-snap read, that’s really where all the turnovers, the big plays happen."
Reid, 28, is a Louisiana native and the younger brother of Eric Reid, who starred at LSU where he also played with Mathieu. In Justin's 7 NFL seasons he's logged 102 starts, 580 tackles, 6 sacks and 10 interceptions. He'll be taking over the role held by veteran Will Harris last season, who signed a 2-year deal with the Commanders this offseason.
The Saints have stayed on the lower end of the free agency cycle, also signing veteran WR Brandin Cooks (2/$13M) and CB Isaac Yiadom (3/$9M). The team has also reached 1-year deals with OL Dillon Radunz, TE Jack Stoll, RB Velus Jones, DT Jonah Williams and OL Will Clapp, while re-signing OL Landon Young, DB Ugo Amadi and WR Dante Pettis. The other major moves included a trade for former Patriots DT Davon Godchaux, and 3-year extensions for both DE Chase Young and TE Juwan Johnson.
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More from Justin Reid
On reuniting with Tyrann Mathieu
Reid and Mathieu crossed paths in 2018, when Mathieu was with the Texans on a 1-year deal and Reid was drafted in the third round. Mathieu went on to play 3 seasons with the Chiefs before leaving in free agency, a role that was replaced by Reid the past 3 years.
“He was a guy that knew a ton of football, was a savvy vet, was able to go beyond the playbook and just had a really – just a really gifted feel for the game as far as feeling out pass concepts developing, being able to do things outside of the playbook that’s still within the structure of the defense to go out and make some plays and then quite possibly the most powerful thing is just the way that he’s able to speak, his public speaking skills as far as being a leader of men and his pregame speeches get guys energized up … feel like you’re ready to run through a wall, to do whatever needs to be done to go out there and win is really second to none.”
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Why were those Chiefs defenses so effective the past 3 years
“We spent a ton of time on disguises and presenting looks to confuse quarterbacks so that it gave opportunities to go out and make plays, like we didn’t sit in one coverage, we didn’t sit in one look. We tried to make it as difficult as possible on opposing teams and that allowed us to make some pressure, then other than that it’s having cerebral players that can handle the playbook. ... The same type of guys that we’ll have with the Saints, but having guys that can handle the playbook and don’t make mental errors and give up explosives. So, disguises, no explosive plays and physical DBs, because every team wants to run the ball to the corner, but if your corners are cutting people in half, then there is no run game, the run game doesn’t exist, and then you force them into a one-dimensional offense, and then your defensive line can go eat and your DBs and linebackers can go eat in the coverage system, too, so all of those pieces add up to the formula that you just put them together and the magic just happens.”
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What should Saints fans expect to see from Reid as a player
“Probably the guy who you turn on 2005 Madden and everyone just loved using the hit stick all the time, a guy like that … a guy who, I feed on physicality. I love physical games, I love punishing wide receivers, maybe if they try and block me, I want them to be thinking about me when they’re running their routes to the middle of the field and maybe that causes a dropped pass or a tipped ball that turns into an interception. I pride myself and I also pride myself on being a big communicator on the field, no mental errors on my side of the field because, you know, we just don’t make those mistakes, so having guys in the right position and them making the plays that are just put there for you, don’t miss the layups.”
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On transitioning back to Louisiana
“I think that I have a little bit of an easier transition than most guys. I already know the area so well. I already have so much family there that the transition is pretty much streamlined. I already am closing on my residence in the next 3 days. I already knew exactly what areas to look at and I’m just excited to get down there, get in the building, get in coach Staley’s system and start getting to work.”