Chiefs News: Justin Reid eager to see what Chiefs’ young DBs will do

Lights-out secondary play in 2024 is a significant motive the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs will enter the season as defending Tremendous Bowl champions for the second time in as a few years.

Following Friday’s organized workforce exercise (OTA) session, security Justin Reid weighed in on what he has seen from the workforce’s defensive backs this offseason. Reid is exceptionally excessive on fellow security Jaden Hicks, chosen by Kansas Metropolis within the fourth spherical of April’s NFL Draft out of Washington State.

“I really like Hicks,” the veteran declared. “[He’s a] bodily child. [He’s] sensible, athletic, and keen to study. Very humble within the sense that he’s keen to take teaching. I keep after observe with him on a regular basis. We work on little issues right here and there, and he’s soaking all the things up. He’s going to be a participant for us this yr. He’s going to assist us.”

Kansas Metropolis’s defensive backs chief can also be impressed with what he has seen from third-year cornerback Nazeeh Johnson — who missed the 2023 season whereas recovering from an ACL tear suffered in coaching camp.

“Nazeeh’s progress final yr — he was on observe to start out,” Reid recalled. “He was actually growing so nicely. Only a constant, sensible participant. Is aware of the calls, keen tackler. Then he had that unlucky damage, and he’s been shaking again.

“He was capable of get some extra reps with those once more at this time. He’s therapeutic remarkably and actually shifting round nicely. He’ll proceed to construct his confidence again up, and he’ll be one other good participant and one other weapon for us.”

The Chiefs will want weapons within the secondary after buying and selling beginning cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to the Tennessee Titans earlier this offseason. Reid is aware of there is not going to be a one-for-one substitute for one in every of soccer’s greatest protection choices, however he seems to be ahead to seeing what among the subsequent choices on the depth chart usher in their very own methods.

“You don’t substitute a man like LJ,” he acknowledged. “LJ is particular. He was distinctive. He was bodily. All of us liked him right here. However there may be alternative for the subsequent man to create his personal stamp. You don’t search for a carbon copy. You don’t search for one other LJ.

“There’s alternative on the sphere proper now for Joshua Williams. For Nazeeh Johnson. For Jaylen Watson. For among the rookies that we’ve introduced in. There are alternatives there for these guys to step up and create a reputation for themselves. So, we simply proceed to educate them up and permit them to have the chance to do this.”

Reid isn’t above being coached as much as enhance his craft, at the same time as he heads into his seventh season. The now-two-time Tremendous Bowl champion described his coaching plan for the rest of the offseason following subsequent week’s obligatory minicamp.

“I’ve a constant routine,” he defined. “There’s a bunch of [defensive backs] that I prepare with yearly — about 14 of us — we often go to Phoenix, and we prepare there. We’ll go there about two weeks earlier than coaching camp.

“The primary two weeks, I’ll more than likely be right here simply persevering with to work with our power employees — as a result of they do a superb job maintaining guys in form they usually’ll get you ready for the grind that coaching camp at St. Joe all the time is. The subsequent two weeks is extra technical stuff that I’m going prepare with the DBs that I prepare with yearly with [former Pro Bowl safety] Ryan Clark main us.”