Getty Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid.
The Kansas City Chiefs have their fair share of large contracts on their roster. But safety Justin Reid, who is playing on a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Chiefs, has been named by Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon as the team’s most “overpaid” player.
“Reid, 27, is an asset on and off the field, but the Chiefs are smart with their money and their stars generally deliver so the options were limited,” Gagnon wrote on April 10. “He simply isn’t special, yet he’s one of the 12 highest-paid players at his position.”
Reid is playing the 2024 season with a $14.2 million cap hit, which ranks fifth-highest on the team and the highest among Kansas City’s defenders, according to Over The Cap. It’s also worth noting that none of Reid’s $9.9 million salary for the 2024 season — which is the final year of his contract — is guaranteed.
The four Chiefs players that have a larger cap hit than Reid in 2024 are quarterback Patrick Mahomes ($37 million), starting left guard Joe Thuney ($26.9 million), starting right tackle Jawaan Taylor ($24.7 million), and tight end Travis Kelce ($15.4 million).
After Reid, the highest cap hits among Kansas City’s defenders are defensive end Charles Omenihu ($10.9 million), defensive tackle Chris Jones ($7.3 million), and cornerback Trent McDuffie ($3.8 million).
Justin Reid Doesn’t Need to Be Great, He Just Needs to Remain Versatile
The two-time defending Super Bowl champions didn’t replace Tyrann Mathieu with Reid in 2022 in hopes of getting a much higher level of production from Reid. The former Houston Texans draft pick is simply younger than Mathieu and had an asking price that was much lower than what Mathieu was seeking heading into free agency that year.
Since signing with Kansas City two years ago, Reid’s value to the Chiefs hasn’t just been tied to his age and contract, but his versatility as well. He’s capable of playing free safety, in the box, in the slot, and out wide as a cornerback, which is why he fits the mold of what defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wants in a defensive back — a Swiss Army knife of sorts. He has performed well in that role and is part of the reason why the team has won back-to-back championships.
With that being said — there’s a strong chance that 2024 could be Reid’s final year in Kansas City.
This offseason has proven that there’s a league-wide toward toward not giving large, multi-year deals to veteran safeties. On top of that, the Chiefs have several key free agents in 2025, which include but are not limited to Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, and Charles Omenihu.
Because of that, Reid could be looking for a new home next offseason. So, he will need to put together another solid effort this upcoming season in hopes of raising the bar financially for free-agent safeties in 2025.
As it currently stands, the Chiefs’ safety room consists of Reid, Bryan Cook, Nazeeh Johnson, Trey Dean, and Tyree Gillespie.
Chiefs Getting Ready for the 2024 NFL Draft
The two-time defending Super Bowl champions are gearing up for the 2024 NFL Draft, which takes place from April 25 to April 27 in Detroit, Michigan. It will be available to watch on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
The Chiefs have seven picks in this year’s draft:
- Round 1: Pick 32
- Round 2: Pick 64
- Round 3: Pick 95
- Round 4: Pick 131
- Round 5: Pick 159 (from DAL)
- Round 5: Pick 173 (compensatory)
- Round 7: Pick 227 (from TEN)