A riddle for an expiring contract: Jarran Reed, a Hendrix shirt and Seahawks clean-out day
How much does Jarran Reed want to remain in Seattle now that his contract with the only NFL team he’s known has expired?
The defensive tackle was wearing a Jimi Hendrix T-shirt on locker clean-out day.
“Of course,” Reed said Monday, the day after his Seahawks rallied from down 28-10 in the second half yet lost at Green Bay 28-23 in the NFC divisional playoffs.
“I’ve been here four years. Consider this home,” the team’s second-round draft choice out of Alabama in 2016 said.
“Everything will take care of itself.”
The Seahawks stood with Reed through a two-year process of him being accused of domestic assault by a 21-year-old woman at his Bellevue home. The NFL suspended him for the first six games of this season after its investigation of the alleged incident.
Ultimately, Reed was not charged nor arrested. Prosecutors in Bellevue declined to pursue the domestic-violence case.
But NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has wide authority to suspend players for conduct outside of football, including for incidents that do not result in charges or arrests. Many players and others criticize Goodell and the league for their investigations and inconsistent enforcement of the personal conduct policy.
Reed included in an apology to those close to him, his family, the Seahawks and their fans upon his suspension in July that “I totally disagree with the decision of the NFL.”
Reed’s rookie contract ended with Sunday’s loss in Green Bay. He can become a rich free agent for the first time in March.
Monday, Reed said the support he got from the Seahawks from the time of the alleged incident in 2017 through the suspension and his return to the team in October indicates to him he’s wanted by the franchise for the 2020 season and beyond.
“Oh, tremendously. I definitely think so,” Reed said. “They’ve had my back the whole time. They’ve been right behind me. I am grateful for that, and I am thankful for that, too.
Asked if he has any feeling whether he will be back with the Seahawks in 2020, Reed said: “I have no clue.”
Reed turned 27 last month. He went from a career-high 10 1/2 sacks in his breakout 2018 season playing next to 13-sack man Frank Clark on Seattle defensive line to just two sacks in 10 games this season Jadeveon Clowney next to him at end. The Seahawks traded Clark last spring to Kansas City rather than pay him the $20 million per year he was seeking.
Two sacks and a suspension in a contract year isn’t an optimal way to enter free agency, or even negotiations with one’s drafting team on a new deal.
“Of course, the numbers weren’t there,” Reed said. “Everybody was expecting (me) to come in and just take over. But I don’t feel like it went that bad. I left a few sacks out there that I could have had.
“You know, as long as the team was winning, you know, that was fine. It’s never been about me. If I can open something up for other guys to make plays, that’s what it is, that’s the timing, it’s a team sport.”
Reed had one of those such helper plays on a key third down for the Packers in the fourth quarter as the Seahawks were storming back into Sunday night’s game. He occupied his interior gap as assigned on a call for twins Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin to blitz from outside him. Shaquem Griffin looped around Reed inside of the tackle for a clear shot on Aaron Rodgers for his first career sack.
Reed as an interior defensive lineman might command $8 million per season on free-agent market. That’s well off what another season in 2019 approaching double-digit sacks could have earned Reed
The Seahawks must decide between now and March whether to pay that to Reed, plus whether to bring back Clowney. The contract for Seattle’s best pass rusher also ended Sunday.
Coach Pete Carroll said Monday morning on his weekly radio show with KIRO AM he and general manager John Schneider already met on this and other pressing contract issues for the offseason on the team’s flight home from Green Bay that landed at SeaTac Airport at 2 a.m. Monday. Carroll said the team would “love” to have Clowney back.
Clowney said following the season- and contract-ended loss at Green Bay: ““I want to get that Super Bowl by any means...“Who’s going to get me there? I’m not looking to get on no sorry team for no money.”
Clowney’s view on how close the Seahawks may be to another Super Bowl will affect his decision.
Will keeping Reed or letting him go on a thin Seattle defensive line affect Clowney’s perception of the Seahawks?
