Getty One Texans' safety is a player the Ravens could "pursue" in free agency.
Finding secondary help will be among the priorities for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason. There are question marks at all but three positions, but free agency could offer general manager Eric DeCosta an obvious solution.
A leading analytics site believes DeCosta can find excellent value by going after a safety who also plays in the AFC. His performances have been on the wane recently, but this Houston Texans’ veteran is still talented and versatile enough to make a difference in the right scheme.
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PFF Recommends Houston Texans’ Safety
The right scheme is something the Ravens can offer, thanks to new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. He’ll welcome DeCosta adding a safety during free agency, per Anthony Treash of Pro Football Focus: “A cornerback in Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft is in the cards, but the team could also pursue a defensive back in free agency. One such player is safety Justin Reid, who is coming off a couple of underwhelming years in Houston. Reid was a top-15 graded safety in 2018 and in 2019. Going to Mike Macdonald’s defense in Baltimore could help resurrect that past play, and the Ravens could get him for a fair price in free agency.”
Treash sees three players as locks for starting spots in the Ravens’ secondary. Those players are cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, along with safety Chuck Clark.
An infusion of talent is needed elsewhere, though, something Reid would provide. His numbers may be down the last two years, but the 25-year-old still has the range and savvy to be an asset in a new system.
Reid has only tallied two interceptions since 2019, but he’s also broken up eight passes and forced a fumble during that time. Those contributions are ample proof he’s a player who knows how to get around the ball.
At his best, Reid is an active presence in the box, evidenced by his 84 tackles as a rookie in 2018. His willingness to get involved near the line of scrimmage would suit a Ravens’ defense that’s still rugged against the run.
Reid also has ambitions to play in a Super Bowl, something he tweeted during this season’s big game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, February 13:
This atmosphere is so electric. One day i will be playing in this game! 🙏🏾
Making that dream a reality will require leaving the Texans for a team better equipped to contend. The Ravens fit the bill, at least when fully healthy. They also have the fiscal resources to make this deal happen.
Reid and Clark Would Form a Formidable Duo
DeCosta is projected by Spotrac.com to have $9,792,591 worth of space under the salary cap to work with this offseason. He can free up more room, depending on the nature of any new deal put in front of quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The Ravens have the money to ensure Reid gets paid by the time free agency begins on Wednesday, March 16. The player made $2.433 million in base salary for 2021, so he’ll likely welcome the chance to cash in on the open market.
Aside from a more lucrative contract, the Ravens can offer Reid the chance to pair with Clark and become one of the more formidable safety pairings in the NFL. Clark is a menace on the blitz, like on this play, highlighted by ESPN analyst Matt Bowen, from Week 3’s 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions:
Saw some staple pressure schemes on the tape vs. DET.
Overload fronts, sim pressures, more.
BAL blitz rate in Week 3 = 41.2%
DB Chuck Clark gets home to the QB on this rep.
He’s a force in the box, but like Reid, Clark also has the range to make plays in deep coverage. He intercepted two of Matthew Stafford’s passes when the Ravens lost 20-19 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams in the penultimate week of the regular season:
Matthew Stafford’s favorite target today is Chuck Clark
Pairing Clark with Reid would give the Ravens two safeties flexible enough to alternate roles so Macdonald could disguise coverage more often and keep offenses guessing in 2022.