Tag: Justin Reid

Justin Reid gives high praise to Chiefs’ rookie cornerbacks

#Chiefs S Justin Reid shared his thoughts on Joshua Williams and other rookie cornerbacks at training camp. | from @EdEastonJr

The departure of Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu changes the dynamic of the Kansas City Chiefs defense heading into the new season.

The addition of Justin Reid is viewed more as an evolution of the role rather than a replacement, but he’ll still be looked to as a leader as he’ll be surrounded by plenty of young talent. The drafting of highly-touted rookies in the secondary has Kansas City ready to turn the page on a new era for that unit.

Reid spoke with reporters on Wednesday sharing his thoughts on the rookie cornerbacks after spending just a day with them at training camp.

“LJ (L’Jarius Sneed) is essentially the vet in the room at the corner position,” said Reid. “He has done a great job bringing Trent (McDuffie), Joshua (Williams), and all of the rest of the rookie corners and young guys coming through the system and bringing them along and making sure they are getting adjusted to the system. The playbook that we have here is heavy. I’ve played in four different defensive systems, and this is definitely one of the deepest playbooks defensively that we have.

“But the young guys are doing a great job. (They’re) taking it in stride, listening to the older guys, being learners, and not being combative. Being open to coaching, both from coaches and older veterans. They have been coming along well. We’ve been putting a lot on their plate, and they’re up to the challenge for it.”

One of the players who looked up to the challenge during Day 1 of training camp practice was the team’s fourth-round draft pick, Joshua Williams. The former Division II cornerback had one of the defensive plays of the day with a pass breakup against Mecole Hardman. Reid spoke about the things that he’s seen from Williams that make him believe the NFL won’t be too big for the former Fayetteville State Bronco.

“Very technical, very technical with his footwork,” said Reid. “He’s a long guy. You can’t coach length like that. So he’s able to get his hands on big receivers and make guys run around him. And he plays the system. Again, like I said earlier — as long as you play the system, you buy into the program, you don’t go out and do your own thing, good things will always happen to you. The play is gonna come to you, all you’ve got to do is catch the ball.”

Reid will be a vital part of the Chiefs’ revamped secondary featuring so much young talent that needs veteran guidance. He won’t provide the unique intensity of Tyrann Mathieu, but he can surely pass on important experience and wisdom at training camp.

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Chiefs S Justin Reid gives first impressions of rookies Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis

#Chiefs S Justin Reid shared his early impressions of rookies Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis with the GMFB crew on NFL Network.

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Kansas City Chiefs S Justin Reid has taken up a leadership role in the locker room with his new team. Speaking on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Tuesday, Reid confirmed that he’s enjoyed stepping into that role in Kansas City.

“A lot of guys throw around the term ‘being a leader,'” Reid explained. “Being a leader isn’t just about saying the right things, it’s about doing the right things. It’s about being a force multiplier and when you’re on the field, everyone picks up their game a bit more.”

Players like Reid have set a strong example for the incoming rookie class, especially those who will be met with high expectations early on in their careers. Speaking to a line of questioning from NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, Reid provided some first impressions of the team’s two first-round rookies, CB Trent McDuffie and DE George Karlaftis. While he works more closely with McDuffie, Reid provided some blanket statements about what both have brought to the table so far.

“I think the first thing is that they came in with the right mentality,” Reid said on NFL Network. “They came in with their eyes wide open, ears wide listening, they take in advice from the older guys, the vets and coaches. This is no easy defense to just jump into. There are a lot of pieces that go into and mentally it’s very heavy. But George Karlaftis, Trent McDuffie and all the other guys who have come in have really had the right attitude. They’re getting coached up very well. They all have a very high motor and (are) excited to be here.”

Approaching the NFL game with the right mentality is half the battle for incoming draft picks. With the success that the Chiefs’ organization has seen over the past several seasons, the expectations are understood right away for incoming players. McDuffie, Karlaftis and several other rookies appear to be approaching it the right way per Reid, which should set them up for future success as professionals.

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Justin Reid endorses Chiefs’ new-look offense: ‘We’re going to put up 100 points’

Justin Reid shared some strong opinions on what the #Chiefs’ offense will do in 2022 on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.”

There are a lot of skeptics of the Kansas City Chiefs offense in the post-Tyreek Hill era, but new safety Justin Reid is not one of them.

Appearing on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Wednesday morning, Reid gave a staggering endorsement of the team’s new-look offense. He’s only seen them work in non-contact, padless practices, but he seems supremely confident in the team’s ability to put up points in 2022.

“Pay attention to this. The Chiefs offense is going to do what we always do. We’re going to come out, we’re going to put up 100 points,” Reid said, via NFL.com. “We have the greatest football quarterback in the game. The top-three, in no particular order, although I’m sure you guys can guess who is my number one: Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers. And when you have a quarterback, and you have an offensive system — a coordinator that is able to just mix things up all the time — you’re always going to put up points.

“We’re going to combine that with great football across the board. Complimentary offense, defense, special teams, and we’re going to go out and win games. We’re in the toughest division in the NFL, that’s no secret. It’s gonna be fireworks every time anybody plays and you’re gonna want to watch that.”

There’s some clear hyperbole there, but the confidence with which Reid delivered his endorsement was telling that he believes every word of it. Only having been a member of the team for a few short months, Reid already has complete faith in his quarterback, coaching staff and the culture in Kansas City. He’s played against the Chiefs before (notably in the 2019 playoffs) and he knows exactly how tough that offense can be at its height. That should do plenty to get fans excited for things to come in the future.

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How will Chiefs replace Tyrann Mathieu’s versatility?

Tyrann Mathieu was again named one of @TheNFLWire’s top safeties and slot defenders. How will the #Chiefs go about replacing that versatility in 2022?

The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t just lose a leader and champion in Tyrann Mathieu, they lost one of the best safeties and slot defenders in the NFL. At least that’s what our friends at Touchdown Wire believe.

Doug Farrar kicked off Touchdown Wire’s annual positional lists, detailing the best safeties and the best slot defenders in the league. Mathieu and Chargers S Derwin James are the only two players to appear on both lists. Mathieu came in No. 10 on the list of safeties and No. 1 on the list of slot defenders. The Chiefs don’t have a single safety or slot corner who made the lists.

Just as with Tyreek Hill, there is probably no 1-to-1 replacement for Mathieu on the roster in Kansas City. People will look to Justin Reid, who was signed in free agency, but in 2021 he only took 65 snaps in the slot compared to Mathieu’s 241 snaps in the slot. His production also didn’t look anything like Mathieu, who, “. . . allowed 10 catches on 15 targets for 53 yards, 43 yards after the catch, one touchdown, three interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 55.0.” Reid will play some box snaps and slot snaps moving forward, but will it be at a similarly high rate as Mathieu?

One player Chiefs fans can look to is rookie safety Bryan Cook, who was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft. In 2021 with the Cincinnati Bearcats, Cook played 196 snaps in the slot and 370 snaps in the box. In college, Cook showed the ability to match up with tight ends and receivers in the slot, which could prove valuable for snap-to-snap scheme changes. He has the ball production, size and speed to be effective in the two roles that Mathieu most frequently occupied.

The truth is, it’s likely going to take a village to replicate all of what Mathieu brought to the table. From his leadership in the locker room to his on-field production, Kansas City will need several players to step up in 2022. If they do, perhaps the Chiefs’ secondary will be better represented on Touchdown Wire’s positional lists in a year’s time.

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Chiefs’ Justin Reid, Trent McDuffie visited Negro Leagues Baseball Museum for Juneteenth

A pair of new #Chiefs celebrated #Juneteenth by taking a trip to @NLBMuseumKC with over a dozen football players from Lincoln College Preparatory Academy.

June 19th (commonly referred to as Juneteenth) is a federal holiday that commemorates the official end of slavery in the United States. To celebrate the holiday this past weekend, a pair of new Kansas City Chiefs were out in the community, educating and being educated at the historic Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in Kansas City, Missouri.

Joined by the president of the NLBM, Bob Kendrick, and over a dozen football players from Lincoln College Preparatory Academy, Chiefs CB Trent McDuffie and S Justin Reid learned about the history and importance of the Negro Leagues.

“I don’t care what sport you might play,” Kendrick said. “All roads lead to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.”

Both Reid and McDuffie had never been to the NLBM before. They had the opportunity to learn about how many of the athletes who played in this league were pioneers for professional sports as we currently know them. Both players had some revelations from their experience at the museum.

“America’s game was baseball at the time,” Reid said. “So, a lot of the greatest athletes played in this league. Their love and passion for playing their sport bled into culture and ended up making revolutionary changes in society.”

“One thing that I really found interesting was that at the Negro League games, the crowd was not segregated,” McDuffie said. “Everybody sat together. Compared to other Major League Baseball games at that time — they were segregated. To me, that was really cool, because you never really hear about that and those certain things that morphed society into what it is today.”

Kendrick emphasized that the story of the Negro Leagues teaches us about overcoming adversity. That’s a good lesson for both McDuffie and Reid to be reminded of ahead of the start of the season. It also served as an opportunity for both players to learn a bit about their new home and those who came before them.

“For me, Kansas City now is home,” McDuffie said. “Just being able to come here and feel like I’m a part of the community is special.”

McDuffie spoke at length to Chiefs team reporter Matt McMullen from the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum for the “Defending the Kingdom” podcast. You can watch that interview here. To find out more about the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, you can visit their website here.

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WATCH: Chiefs premiere Episode 1 of ‘Work to Win’

The #Chiefs’ new behind-the-scenes series “Work to Win” premieres now, with the first episode titled “Free Agency.”

The premiere of the Kansas City Chiefs’ new behind-the-scenes documentary series “Work to Win” is underway, debuting Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. CT.

This particular episode is titled, “Free Agency.” It’s the first of three episodes and based on the trailer it’ll provide the team with a behind-the-scenes look at the free agency process. That includes insight into why players like Justin Reid, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ronald Jones and Marquez Valdes-Scantling chose to join the Chiefs.

Below is the description of tonight’s episode, via the team’s YouTube channel:

“From the signings of S Justin Reid, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling & RB Ronald Jones to the trade of WR Tyreek Hill, we look back at the moves the Chiefs made in the 2022 free agency period while looking ahead to the NFL Draft.”

You can watch the premiere at the top of the page live or check out the video afterward. You can also view it over on the Chiefs’ official YouTube channel.

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Chiefs S Justin Reid is enjoying Steve Spagnuolo’s defense at OTAs

#Chiefs S Justin Reid is loving Steve Spagnuolo’s defense for its versatility and the depth of the playbook. | from @EdEastonJr

The second day of OTAs showcased more talent from the Kansas City Chiefs roster as the coaching staff got an up-close look at some new additions.

One of the prized free-agent signings this offseason was safety Justin Reid who begins his tenure in Kansas City after spending the past four seasons with the Houston Texans. He’s joining a defensive system that’s unlike anything he had experienced in Houston. Steve Spagnuolo’s formations and style seem quick-fitting for Reid, as he discussed during Thursday’s press conference after Day 2 at OTAs.

“I think it’s because the defense is so versatile,” Reid said. “And not only do we have like 100 plays that we’re able to just game plan and pick and choose which weapons we want to use against opponents coming into the future, but also taking advantage of opportunities like this, where we get to play against our offense, which is not undoubtedly one of the most firepower set offenses in the league. So we get to play against those guys every day. Iron sharpening iron, it makes the whole team better.”

Reid started all 13 games he played last season for the Texans finishing with 75 tackles and two sacks. After just a short period of time, Reid feels he’s connecting with this new defensive system on a different level than any previous system he’d been in.

“I love it, man. It’s electric, his defense,” Reid said. “We’ve got guys coming from all over the place. Coverage spinning in different directions. This is undoubtedly going to be the most fun defense that I’ve played in so far.”

Entering his fifth NFL season, Reid accepts the responsibility of being a veteran in the room. He knows that he is someone that young players will lean on, especially when it comes to learning the playbook.

“The playbook here is very deep,” Reid said. “And it was deeper than what it was when I was a rookie back in Houston. And those guys are coming along really well with it. The culture here is really good in the DB room. Guys ask questions. We’re not afraid to go and help each other. The unity is there. And like I said, Trent (McDuffie), Josh (Williams), Bryan(Cook), all those guys are doing a great job.”

The Chiefs will need to have their new acquisitions up to speed in the secondary quickly to help solidify an area that gave up big plays last year. Reid will have a big role in the success of that group by executing plays and leading by example for the rookies.

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What are the Chiefs seeing in Texans defensive backs that Houston isn’t?

The Kansas City Chiefs believe they can get something out of Houston Texans defensive backs that the club clearly can’t.

It started with Tyrann Mathieu. The former Arizona Cardinals 2013 third-round safety had a bounce back year with the Houston Texans in 2018, was well liked, loved the city himself, but signed a three-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.

The “Honey Badger” earned two Pro Bowl appearances and two first-team All-Pro selections. Coming to Houston was the rejuvenation Mathieu needed to get his career back on track.

Then, the Chiefs signed Justin Reid to a three-year deal in free agency.

Then, Kansas City traded for cornerback-turned-safety-then-back-again Lonnie Johnson.

What exactly do the Chiefs see in Texans defensive backs? How are they able to get better production out of them compared to when they were in Houston?

According to Chiefs general manager Brett Veach, the club had their eye on Johnson after the Texans drafted him in the second round from Kentucky in 2019. Kansas City also had Johnson’s former defensive coordinator at Kentucky on staff in Matt House.

The Chiefs were monitoring Johnson’s constant yo-yoing between cornerback and safety with great interest.

“We just kind of make a note of all those conversations and (Lonnie Johnson) was a guy that his name had gotten brought up,” Veach said. “We did have some experience with him. Coach House was here. We went through the process with Lonnie coming out. He was with him at Kentucky and obviously, Justin played with him in Houston. So we were able to talk to both people.

“I think Lonnie was in a situation where he was bouncing around from corner to safety and back to corner, back to safety. I just said, ‘Look we’re pretty good here at safety.’ We have some corners we like, but we also like big, long, press corners. We know he can press, we know he’s physical and we think he’ll come in here and compete.”

In other words, the Chiefs have specific plans for the players they acquire.

The shifting of Johnson between safety and cornerback roles would not be such a problem if not for the fact Houston squandered a second-round talent. Players taken in the top-100 of a draft need to be solid starters for a club throughout their rookie contract, and Johnson was curtailed by having to learn multiple roles. Kansas City knows what they want out of Johnson, and don’t be surprised if he starts to play better than he did while in Houston.

Lonnie Johnson discusses role with Chiefs, reunion with Justin Reid

New #Chiefs CB Lonnie Johnson commented on his role in Kansas City and reuniting with his “Evil Twin” Justin Reid.

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The Kansas City Chiefs have a new cornerback on the roster after acquiring Lonnie Johnson Jr. in a trade from the Houston Texans.

While speaking with Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, Johnson revealed that he will play cornerback in Kansas City after three seasons of playing a hybrid role in Houston. The veteran is excited to have a single and secure role for a change.

“Man, I think they’re going to be able to use me the right way, go out there, be physical and have me lock down one position,” Johnson said. “To set a foundation with a team and position, I’m just overall happy and blessed”

While there were multiple factors leading to Johnson’s departure from the Texans, he mostly felt it was time for both sides to part ways. He was appreciative of them for drafting him, supporting him and trading him to a “winning team.” He was most thankful for being reunited with his former Texans teammate, Justin Reid, who Kansas City signed as a free agent this offseason.

“Man, it’s amazing, bro,” Johnson told Wilson. “(Reid), that’s my Evil Twin. I’m just glad to be in the situation that I’m. in just happy. I’m overwhelmed it’s crazy.”

It’s safe to say that the feeling is mutual between Johnson and Reid.

Between free agency, the 2022 NFL draft and this post-draft trade, the defensive secondary in Kansas City is beginning to take shape. It’s looking as competitive as it has ever been and should make for a good storyline as the offseason progresses.

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Chiefs defenders got together in Arizona for offseason workouts

Patrick Mahomes wasn’t the only member of the #Chiefs getting together with teammates for offseason workouts.

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and his offensive teammates weren’t the only players on the team who got together of their own volition during the offseason to get some work in.

Speaking to the media to kick off the team’s offseason workout program, Chiefs LB Nick Bolton informed local reporters of what he’s been up to this offseason. He stopped by the team facility for workouts when he was in town, he linked up with fellow LB Willie Gay Jr. for workouts and he also met up with a few defenders (and one receiver) who were in Arizona for offseason training.

“Yeah, there’s been a couple of times when I work out at the facility, there have been a couple of guys there. I’ve worked out with Willie (Gay). I know Jermaine (Carter) got in today. Also, Elijah Lee got in today. I’m looking forward to working out with those guys. In the offseason, I was actually in Arizona. Justin Reid was down there. We had a couple of guys down there. Cornell Powell, Juan (Thornhill) was down there. We all get work in, we don’t really post to social media, but we’re all getting work in together trying to improve and trying to reach the goal at the end of the year to hoist up the trophy.”

It’s important for players on the defensive side of the ball to get together and build some chemistry too. As much change as there has been at the receiver position, there’s been perhaps an equal amount of change on the defensive side of the ball.

With veteran linebacker Anthony Hitchens no longer on the team, many expect Bolton to take up a leadership role for that position group. He doesn’t necessarily feel the pressure to pick up that mantle and expects a collective effort from his defensive teammates when it comes to leadership.

“I feel like going into this year, it’s collective, it’s not just me,” Bolton said. “We’ve got a lot of new faces. I got older guys, our D-Line is kind of the vets of our defense right now. We’re going to rely on those guys as the season goes on. Us, being linebackers, we’ve just got to be vocal, make sure that everybody is on the same page, communicating. Make sure that everyone is comfortable with each other. That will come as the season goes on, guys coming in the next couple of weeks, we’ll build the foundation now so that we can go in during phase two and hit the field with trust.”

As for the foundation they’re putting together right now, there hasn’t been any specific discussion or roles as they’re still very early in the offseason. They’re still feeling things out in the linebacker room as they welcome some new players and get used to having a new position coach (former defensive line coach Brendan Daly) after having Matt House as their linebacker coach for the past three seasons.

“Most conversations are just on how we can improve as a unit,” Bolton said. “How can we be better athletes, that’s really what we’re working on. We haven’t really got into football, so we haven’t really discussed the logistics of positions and stuff like that. We’re just laying the groundwork, communicating and getting to know each other, stuff like that. We’ve got a brand new coach (Brendan Daly), so we’re communicating with him as well with the other linebackers, just introducing ourselves. That’s where we’re at right now, but we’re excited by what we’ve got going forward.”

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