• Projecting a Patriots role. ... based on his tape from this season, he’s better off in a spot different than how he was used in Houston. The Patriots have their free safety in McCourty, though they do play some half-field safety responsibilities, meaning there are times when the strong safety will have to handle free-safety chores. For Reed, though not a heavy-framed player, he has the tackling willingness and instincts to handle some of the duties Steve Gregory has manned this season. With Gregory possibly missing upcoming games due to a broken thumb, the Patriots could have a void to fill. In-house options to replace Gregory include safety Duron Harmon, who has an interception in each of his past two games. Gregory’s injury doesn’t appear to be a long-term one, so the expectation is he’ll be back in a few weeks, if not sooner.
• The verdict. Would an investment in Reed be worth it? He’s best suited to play a situational defensive role and provide veteran leadership and wisdom to a secondary that features five first- or second-year players. ...Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia don’t need Reed to play an every-down role and are a creative duo that could maximize his strengths. With that in mind, if signed on a free-agent contract, Reed would be a worthwhile Patriots investment in my view.
