Packers get Much Needed IDL Help Signing Jarran Reed

While wide receiver is grabbing much of the attention, the interior defensive line is another position that should be at the top of the Green Bay Packers offseason to-do list.

The Packers entered Tuesday with only four interior defensive linemen on their 2022 depth chart. This group included Kenny Clark, Dean Lowry, TJ Slaton, and Jack Heflin.

Hopefully, we see Slaton and maybe even Heflin take steps forward in Year 2 as well as bigger roles, but relying heavily on a fifth-round pick and UDFA can be a bit risky.

Green Bay has found a way to keep much of their 2021 defensive unit intact heading into the new season, but one area where they can really improve is upfront.

Last season, the Packers would rank 28th in rush DVOA and 28th in yards per carry allowed. Not to mention that best and quickest way to wreck any offensive play is with immediate pressure up the middle.

Now, it’s important to mention that in Joe Barry’s defense, which is designed to take away the passing game first, this Packers run defense may never be among the best. However, that doesn’t mean Clark can’t get more help.

And for now, help for the Green Bay Packers is arriving in the form of Jarran Reed, according to Tom Pelissero.

The 6’3” – 306 pound Reed is a former 2016 second-round pick by Seattle, where he spent his entire career until 2021, in which he played with Kansas City.

For an interior defender, Reed has been an effective pass-rusher, logging at least 20 pressures in five of his six seasons, including 55 in 2018, 41 in 2020, and 33 in 2022.

He has logged 34 sacks over his career and finished 2021 ranked 45th out of 148 eligible interior defensive linemen in PFF’s run-stop win rate. Reed has also been durable, playing over 800 snaps in three of the last four seasons.

According to PFF ($$), Reed has taken a majority of his snaps lined up in the B-gap, but he has also played his fair share up and down the defensive line as well—giving Barry the flexibility to move him around a bit as they look for favorable matchups.

At this time we know that Reed has agreed to a one-year deal, although we do not know the specifics. However, as Tom Silverstein pointed out, it’s worth noting that Reed made $5.5 million on a one-year deal with Kansas City.

The Green Bay Packers, in all likelihood, will continue to add to the interior defensive line room in the draft, but Reed provides a reliable veteran presence for this already stout defense to lean on as he will immediately be plugged into the rotation and hopefully take some of the pressure off Clark.