Countdown to Kickoff: Justin Reid is the Saints Player of Day 21
· Yahoo Sports
Sunday brings us down to 21 days until the New Orleans Saints take the field for their regular season opener. New Orleans travels north to start 2026 when they play at the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13. Wearing No. 21 for the Saints is Justin Reid at safety.
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Reid was signed in 2025 during free agency by the Saints. Though he got off to a rocky start in his first year with the team, he finished the season strong and will be a vital part of the 2026 defense. Reid is also our latest of our Saints Player of the Day features.
- Name (age): Justin Reid (29)
- Hometown: Geismar, La.
- Position: Safety
- Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 207 pounds
- College: Stanford Cardinal
- Relative Athletic Score: 9.6
- Drafted: Round 3, 68th overall in 2018 (Texans)
- NFL experience: 8 years
- 2026 salary cap hit: 5.19 million
A star at Dutchtown High School in Louisiana, Reid migrated to the Pacific coast with his collegiate choice of Stanford. He saw fairly limited time as a freshman in 2015, though he did have an interception. Reid got far more playing time the following year and responded with 7 pass breakups and 4 tackles for loss. His breakout year was 2016, when his 5 interceptions led the Pac-12 conference. Reid also had a sack and 7 stops for loss among his 99 total tackles, leading to a 1st Team All-Pac-12 selection.
After declaring early for the NFL draft, the Houston Texans took Reid off the board as an early Round 3 choice. He'd begin his career with Houston as the third safety, but wound up starting 12 of his 16 game appearances as a rookie. Reid had 3 interceptions, returning one for a touchdown, along with 10 passes broken up, 2 fumble recoveries, and 88 tackles. He was entrenched as a starter by the following season and for four years was one of Houston's most reliable defenders. With the Texans, Reid had 7 interceptions, broke up 23 passes, had 2 sacks, and averaged nearly 80 tackles per year.
Reid would sign with the Kansas City Chiefs during 2022 free agency. He started all 17 contests for a Chiefs squad that went on to win Super Bowl LVII, recording 83 tackles with a sack and 7 passes broken up. Reid was an even bigger factor for a second-ranked Kansas City defense that led the team to another title in Super Bowl LVIII. That year, Reid had 1 interception to go along with 7 passes broken up, 3 sacks, and a career-best 95 tackles. He was just as effective last year for the Chiefs on their way to a third straight AFC title. Reid's contribution that year was 2 interceptions, 9 passes broken up, and 5 tackles for loss among his 87 total stops.
New Orleans brought Reid back to his hometown during 2025 free agency on a three-year contract. He struggled to open his first season with the Saints, but gained a clear feel for the defense and played far better down the stretch. Reid had 1 interception, returning it for a touchdown, and broke up 6 passes while recording 72 tackles. With a full year in the system and as the most experienced member of the Saints secondary, Justin Reid will be counted on as a playmaker in 2026 for New Orleans.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Countdown to Kickoff: Justin Reid is the Saints Player of Day 21