Note to Eric Reid: You aren't getting signed not because of any political stance -- or knee -- that you took. You aren't getting signed right now because no safeties are getting signed right now.
Reid is getting plenty of attention right now because he surmised he isn't getting any calls in free agency because he was one of the players who consistently took a knee during the national anthem before games the past two seasons.
The notion that I can be a great signing for your team for cheap, not because of my skill set but because I’ve protested systemic oppression, is ludicrous. If you think is, then your mindset is part of the problem too.
— Eric Reid (@E_Reid35) March 15, 2018
That ignores the fact, however, that Isaiah Crowell, who signed with the Jets, did far worse than just taking a knee. In addition to being a kneeler, he posted an illustration on social media of a police officer getting stabbed, causing a firestorm in Cleveland. This from a guy who had been been booted out of one school -- Georgia -- in college for weapons charges.
Yet teams are somehow concerned more about Reid?
Fact is, the safety market has been slow in the early stages of free agency. And despite the fact it seems like we're now deep into the free agency period, it is less than a week old.
Through Friday morning, just 12 safeties have signed deals. And none of them have been the players who would be considered at the top of the free agent class at that position.
Morgan Burnett, Kenny Vaccarro, Tre Boston and others are still waiting for job offers. What's Reid's excuse for that?
The bottom line is that the safety market seems to be re-adjusting itself. Teams just aren't going to pay the $12 million per season Cam Chancellor got from Seattle or Reshad Jones got from Miami.
That's good news for the Steelers, who are in the market for a safety after gutting the position on Wednesday with the releases of Mike Mitchell and Robert Golden.
Spotrac.com estimates Reid's market value at $8.6 million per season. He's a good player, not a great one. And he's a player who has missed nine games with injuries the past two seasons.
The safeties will get signed. Just because other players and positions have gotten more attention in the early stages of free agency doesn't mean it's not going to happen. Largely, the quarterback carousel had to stop spinning before some of the other positions received attention.
As has usually been the case, the Steelers haven't jumped into the free agent market early. They like to sit out and allow the first wave of free agency to go by before they dip their toes into the market. They let the big spenders blow all of their cash before swooping in and grabbing a bargain or two.
That will be the case again this year. And because of what appears to be a slow market for safeties -- for whatever reason -- there very well could be a bargain to be had.
To continue reading, log into your account:
