The Lions are signing former Jets starter D.J. Reed to a 3-year contract. Here’s what Reed brings to Detroit.

The Detroit Lions have themselves a new projected starting cornerback in D.J. Reed. The veteran CB has agreed to terms with the Lions in free agency on a three-year, $48 million deal that won’t be official until Wednesday.

Reed effectively serves as the Lions replacement for Carlton Davis, who is joining the New England Patriots on a three-year deal worth $20 million per year. The 28-year-old Reed comes to Detroit after three seasons as a starter with the New York Jets after also playing for the 49ers and Seahawks.

What the Lions are getting in D.J. Reed

Not to be confused with Lions DT DJ Reader, Reed is a 5-foot-9 outside cornerback with an excellent fight/size of dog ratio. He came to the NFL from Kansas State as a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft by the 49ers. He was a part-time player in his first two seasons, deploying all over the secondary but primarily in the slot or at strongside high safety.

Reed got waived at the 53-man roster cutdown in 2020 and was instantly snatched up by the Seahawks. It proved to be a great fit for both parties. Playing much more man coverage than the zone scheme he did in San Francisco, Reed worked his way into being the Seahawks’ No. 3 corner. He played more outside than in the slot in that more matchup-based defense. His breakout campaign came in 2021 while playing almost exclusively on the outside in Seattle. Reed’s physical, in-your-face playing style held receivers to just a 51 percent completion rate, picking off two passes and breaking up 10 others.

Even going back to his Kansas State days, Reed’s prideful run defense has been an asset. He’s both a hitter and a tackler, able to wrap and drop after laying a lick. Reed is feisty at getting off blocks and sticking his nose into the fray. He will occasionally fall off a tackle against ta bigger back or receiver after the catch, but that’s true of most CBs.

In coverage, Reed is adept at sticking on the hip of the outside receiver and controlling the release. This rep against Vikings star Justin Jefferson is a good example of how effectively Reed can steer bigger receivers. He’s in phase the whole way. That’s pretty typical for Reed.

He does get grabby as a way to mitigate his lack of length or to control the receiver when he loses a step on the break. Reed was guilty of 11 penalties (2 were declined) in 2024, the same amount as Lions rookie Terrion Arnold. They are stylistically similar in that regard, though Reed tends to get called for it more in the red zone. Reed has been better at avoiding penalties earlier in his career; he was flagged just eight times from 2020-2022.

Early in his NFL time, Reed had some limited run as a punt and kick returner. He has not played much on special teams since leaving San Francisco, however. Reed also blitzed more when he was younger, but rarely rushed the passer (10 times in three years) with the Jets. The Lions have been more aggressive in blitzing from the slot than outside, so it’s unlikely to see Reed doing much more of that.

Overall, Reed makes for a strong schematic fit in Detroit. He’s had a relatively clean bill of health over the years, too. Based on the contract, Reed will be expected to start in the role Carlton Davis played last season and Cam Sutton did in 2023.

Detroit’s Renaissance Center has been a crowning gem of the city’s skyline since the 1970s.

But since General Motors announced plans to move its headquarters out of the towers, the RenCen has faced questions about its future, including the possibility of demolition.

With the fate of the skyscrapers at stake, we decided to take a peek into the photographical archives, back to when the project was announced, its groundbreaking, big events and eventually, its status as a ghost-town, when COVID-19 temporarily cleared the building in favor of remote work and GM moved some employees to Warren.

Scroll through the gallery below, for a look into the history of the iconic landmark.

Here are some recent news stories to capture where the development discussions stand:

Historic review: Detroit City Council shoots down RenCen historic review, paving way for GM, Bedrock plan

Sound off: Detroiters feel mixed about RenCen demolition plan

Neal Rubin: I explored the almost-vacant RenCen. Here’s what I found.

Key facts about the RenCen

• The RenCen consists of seven towers, of which GM owns the original five.
• The original structure opened in 1977 and consists of four 39-story office towers surrounding a central 73-story hotel, which is now a Marriott.
• The original plan for the RenCen was proposed in 1971 by auto magnate Henry Ford II, then chairman of Ford Motor Co. The architect was John Portman and the development’s original ownership was a 49-member partnership spearheaded by Henry Ford II. The restaurant near the top of the central tower at one time featured a revolving floor.
• In 1981, two additional 21-story towers were built. Those two shorter towers were sold in 2023 by a New Jersey utility company, which had owned them for years, to Farmington Hills-based real estate firm Friedman Real Estate. One of those buildings houses Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The other is mostly vacant.
• GM bought the RenCen in 1996 to be its world headquarters. Previously, GM was located in Detroit’s New Center area in what was then called the General Motors Building, now known as Cadillac Place.
• The automaker went on to spend over $500 million on renovations and upgrades to the RenCen in the late 1990s and early 2000s that were widely credited with making the center better, and its labyrinthine corridors somewhat easier to navigate.
• The weekday population in the RenCen plunged following the COVID-19 pandemic and the continued popularity of remote and hybrid work arrangements. GM also relocated a number of workers from the RenCen to its Technical Center in Warren.

The Detroit Free Press contributed to this report.

Spring is still a week and a half away, but it is going to feel like mid-April over the next several days.

Along with the start of Daylight Saving Time, Sunday brought sunshine and 50-degree weather to Southeast Michigan.

The skies will continue to be mostly clear on Sunday night. Lows will be in the lower to mid 30s. Winds will be out of the west-southwest at 8 to 16 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.

Monday

Highs will be around 60 degrees on Monday, with abundant sunshine. This will be the warmest in Metro Detroit since November.

Monday night, it will be mostly clear. Lows will be in the lower 40s, with southwesterly winds at 6 to 12 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.

Tuesday and Wednesday

Highs will be in the upper 50s to 60 degrees on Tuesday. Expect partly cloudy skies and breezy conditions.

A cold front will push cooler air into Metro Detroit for Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Under partly cloudy skies, Tuesday night’s lows will be in the upper 20s and lower 30s.

Wednesday will be mostly cloudy. The cooler air mass will limit highs to the mid to upper 40s. Lows will be in the mid 30s.

Temperatures will climb again for the end of the week, but opportunities for sunshine will be few.

Thursday and Friday

Thursday’s highs will be in the upper 50s to lower 60s, under mostly cloudy skies. An isolated rain shower is possible.

Friday will be mostly cloudy. Highs will be in the mid to upper 60s.

Next Weekend

Saturday will bring rain and gusty winds, and Saturday night will be rainy. Plan for highs in the mid to upper 60s on Saturday, but temperature will be cooler on Sunday. Plan for a chance of rain on Sunday.