Kyle Shanahan ‘sick’ over losing new Seahawks contributor D.J. Reed
The 49ers will get a reminder Sunday of a roster move that went awry in August.
Their former fifth-round draft choice, defensive back D.J. Reed, will play for the NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks when the two teams meet in Arizona this weekend to wrap up San Francisco’s disappointing 2020 campaign.
Seattle claimed Reed in August after the 49ers waived him with an injury designation, hoping he would pass through waivers and revert to injured reserve. But with his new team, Reed is thriving in a prominent role in Seattle’s resurgent defense.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday said he regrets ever making Reed available to get signed by another team.
“D.J. made us sick to lose,” Shanahan told Seattle-area reporters in a conference call Wednesday.
The 49ers thought Reed’s torn pectoral muscle from the summer would keep him sidelined until December. He wound up coming back to play San Francisco in their loss in Seattle Nov. 1, which included making a first-half interception of Jimmy Garoppolo.
Reed since joining the Seahawks has allowed a 78.0 passer rating in coverage while working both in the slot and at outside cornerback. The 49ers used Reed all over the secondary, and could have used his versatility this season as they dealt with injuries to Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Moseley, Jaquiski Tartt and others.
“There was a lot of decisions that went into it,” Shanahan said. “We were hoping we wouldn’t have to lose him. Obviously Seattle took him, they got a great player because of it, a guy I really like a lot, as a person and as a player. Something I wish we could have had back.”
The 49ers drafted Reed in the fifth round in 2018 and quickly looked like a long-term contributor. He started two games at the end of his rookie season and played well in the slot replacing an injured K’Waun Williams, who is a free agent the 49ers might have to replace this spring. Reed would have been a candidate had he stuck around. His rookie contract goes through next season.
Reed’s play against the Seahawks as a member of the 49ers was part of the reason Seattle was interested in bringing him in to provide depth.
“We thought we hoped he could be nickel and maybe a safety or a corner, we weren’t sure,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said in a conference call with Bay Area reporters Wednesday. “We’ve seen him play those spots but we weren’t sure how he was going to fit. But as soon as we got him on the field, we just loved the guy. His natural instincts, he’s super good quickness and just his style and awareness was really obvious. He jumped right in. He played nickel really well, we moved him to corner because we needed to, and he played well and he’s held on to his job.”
Reed’s loss underscores the value of Jason Verrett, who has been an unexpected stabilizing force in San Francisco’s secondary. Verrett has been one of the 49ers’ most consistent players throughout the season and will be back on the field Sunday after helping to limit Cardinals star DeAndre Hopkins to 48 yards on eight receptions, and breaking up a potential touchdown pass to Hopkins in the 20-12 victory.
