Three years ago, free agency was all about money for D.J. Reed.
The cornerback came to the Jets on a three-year, $33 million contract to secure income for his family after spending four years on the West Coast with the 49ers and Seahawks.
As the 28-year-old is about to head into his second free-agency period, he is feeling “less stressed” about his pay and, instead, will be putting more weight into whether his next home is a “stable” and “healthy” organization.
“Obviously, in this league, it’s about winning,” Reed told The Post on Thursday. “But, you could go to a good organization, you think is a good organization, and the year you go there, they’re not winning. I think it’s deeper than just winning. I think it’s just being in a stable organization that has a winning culture and just being in a good environment, a healthy environment. I think that’s the most important thing for me is just to have a good mental space. I know if I have that, I’ll be able to dominate whoever is in front of me.”
Reed’s wallet is tight heading into the offseason as the Jets extended Michael Carter II to a three-year, $30.75 million deal on Sept. 3, and the team will likely save money for a Sauce Gardner extension that can start to be negotiated following the 2024 season.
Since training camp, Reed has made his intentions clear about exploring free agency, and he reaffirmed those Monday to Go Long reporter Tyler Dunne, saying he is “ready to go to free agency.”
The comment received a lot of backlash, many viewing the seven-year player as having one foot already out the door ahead of the final game of the season.
When asked about the statement, Reed told The Post, “It was an honest answer, and I don’t have any regrets about it.”
“I feel like everybody made a big deal of that comment. But, you know, I said that on the podium during training camp, that I’m going to go in free agency. So, for me to say I’m looking forward to free agency with one game left, I don’t think it was a farfetched statement.
“I see crazy statements of people saying, ‘He’s quitting on the team’ and all this stuff. I played my last year out to the best of my abilities. Despite the season we had, played through injuries, etcetera, etcetera. So, it’s kind of laughable hearing those comments. But, it’s a part of the game.”
Reed proved to be a highlight move from former general manager Joe Douglas.
This season, he has recorded one sack, 59 combined tackles, three tackles for loss and one quarterback hit.
He also had two interceptions and two forced fumbles across his other two years with the Jets.
Nevertheless, Reed’s efforts didn’t lead to a winning season despite the high expectations this year with a healthy Aaron Rodgers back under center along with a strong defense under former head coach Robert Saleh.
“This year has been frustrating. I feel like everybody in this locker room is frustrated. If you’re not, there’s probably something wrong with you,” Reed said. “… We put in a lot of work. … This is the hardest that I’ve worked, which is why I don’t understand why we aren’t winning or why we aren’t finishing. But, I’m at peace. When I came here, me, Sauce, MC [Carter], we’ve done some amazing things these last three years. … We had some really good years, and obviously, this year was a down year for everybody, but I guess that happens in the league.”
After the Jets were eliminated from the playoffs by the Dolphins in a 32-26 Week 14 overtime crusher, Reed had a moment of gratitude about how his Jets tenure would conclude, despite the frustrations.
Heading into Sunday with a chance to eliminate Miami from the postseason, he is aiming to go out on a high note, including making up for his pass interference penalty call — his seventh of the season, equaling the NFL high for a player — that allowed the Dolphins to tie the crucial game.
“Ultimately, I’m a competitor, and I want to win. I want to dominate,” he said. “And if I’m not doing those things, I’m gonna be frustrated because that’s just my mindset. So, I’m looking forward to going into a good environment and just playing and being in a good mental state.”
