New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed speaks to reporters at the team’s NFL football facility in Florham Park, N.J., Wednesday, July 19, 2023. (AP Photos/Dennis Waszak Jr.)
In 2022, the New York Jets defense was ranked fourth in football and had several Pro-Bowl or All-Pro players. Entering the 2023 season, last year’s marks may not be good enough for some of their top veteran talents.
“I’m very confident. I think we have the potential to be the best defense in the NFL and be historical,” cornerback D.J. Reed said Monday afternoon. “I think we can have a historic defense like the ’85 Bears, the Legion of Boom in 2013. I think we could be that dominant if we put all the things together.”
Reed’s comparison to some of the most dominant defenses in NFL history will sure to raise some eyebrows. New York returns nine of 11 starters from last year’s unit and has improved their depth at several key positions.
Still, there’s a reason why the Jets’ veteran corner is so high on his unit this year.
“I think we have the best defensive coordinator (Jeff Ulbrich). He does a great job with situational football. He’s always trying to figure out little things to get better at. We know how to get things figured out in the back end,” Reed explained.
Comparisons to some of the historic defenses in NFL history are hard to make with the ever-changing rules of the NFL. Despite that, with the way Reed and fellow starting corner Sauce Gardner played in 2022, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to other secondaries in history like Richard Sherman in Seattle, or the Bears in the late 80s. A reason for that kind of confidence though, comes from their preparation.
“He (Gardner) is someone I love watching. I’ve learned a lot of things from him. We are very humble. We have the humility about us to want to get better,” Reed said.
Reed’s comments quickly caught fire within the Jets clubhouse. His sentiments were echoed by pass-rushing dynamo…
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