The 53-man roster projections are typically going to miss up to a handful of predictions each year, but it’s rare that a single move creates a blemish on just about every projection out there. This year’s New Orleans Saints’ roster achieved that with the ousting of veteran cornerback Isaac Yiadom while retaining instead defensive back Mike Reid.
The surprise doesn’t come from a negative view on Reid, but instead from the team’s continuity around the defense, otherwise seemingly pointing the club to sticking with Yiadom. The veteran cornerback is now on the Washington Commanders practice squad instead.
Meanwhile, Reid earned his spot with his ability to contribute at multiple positions and some of the unteachable areas in which he excels.
“He’s got length,” defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said of Reid. “So he gives us some size at (safety) and I think what he showed in the preseason is he’s really physical. He really packs a punch going forward.
“We feel like he sees the game well enough in the deep part of the field and plays well enough in the deep part of the field,” Staley said. “You can kind of see his corner background show itself when he’s deep, which is an advantage to how we play. (We) just really like the progress that he made in such a short amount of time.”
At 6-foot-2 and 200 pounds, the second-year defender also has 32.5-inch arms, placing him in the 81st percentile among NFL safeties.
Reid spent a lot of time this offseason working at safety, but also took snaps in the box and at slot corner throughout the preseason. His versatility and special teams acumen helped him to stand apart.
He was one of the highest-graded preseason special teams overage players, and came up with a tackle as a punt gunner against the Los Angeles Rams in the first quarter of the second preseason game.
It will be interesting to see where Reid continues to contribute most. On Tuesday, the Saints placed rookie safety Lorenzo Styles Jr. on injured reserve, guaranteeing that he’ll be out for at least the first four weeks of the season. To fill the roster spot, New Orelans signed cornerback Decamerion Richardson.
That still leaves a spot open at the safety position, one that Reid may be able to help to backfill from a depth perspective, while giving the team another special teamer to rely upon to open the season.
It appears likely that Reid and backup STAR defender Jayden Price will open the season at gunner.
Reid may have been a surprise, but he’s turned into a pleasant surprise and another long-term development option for the Saints’ secondary.
