NFL PLAYER NEWS

Redskins TE Reed signs $50M contract

The Sports Xchange

May 05, 2016 at 9:25 am.

Dec 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (86) makes a touchdown reception past Philadelphia Eagles inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks (95) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 26, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (86) makes a touchdown reception past Philadelphia Eagles inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks (95) during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Jordan Reed signed a five-year, $50 million contract with the Washington Redskins on Thursday morning.

Only Seattle Seahawks Jimmy Graham is higher paid among NFL tight ends. Reed set franchise records for receptions and yards in 2015 but was not selected to the Pro Bowl.
His contract includes $22 million guaranteed and locks in the 25-year-old, who became quarterback Kirk Cousins’ favorite target in 2015.

Like Graham, a college basketball player Miami, Reed is still learning the ropes of the position.

Reed had 87 receptions for 952 yards with a team-high 11 receiving touchdowns. He was entering the final year of his rookie contract.

The Redskins drafted Reed in the third round (85th) out of Florida in 2013. The converted high school quarterback has wide receiver skills at 6-3, 237, creating matchup issues for the majority of defenses.

After fighting head injuries in 2013 as a rookie, Reed was placed on injured reserve in December. He played only nine games. He was dogged by nicks and bruises in 2014 and played in 11 games, but head coach Jay Gruden said he wasn’t healthy.

That changed last season.

“He’s always been very gifted, athletic human. He can cut on a dime. He’s got very strong hands. He gets in and out of his breaks in a hurry. But now I think he’s doing a better job of recognizing coverage and how to get on people’s toes and work on leverage, use leverage to his advantage and set people up,” Gruden said in December. “A lot of times when you’re a good athlete and you’re young, you’re too quick with everything. Now he’s being a lot more patient in his routes and getting up on people and doing a great job of separating and getting his head around, becoming a really friendly target for the quarterback. That goes a long way with a young quarterback.”

The next order of business for general manager Scot McCloughan is a deal for Cousins. The deadline for a contract with the Redskins’ franchise-designated starter is July 15. If not contract extension is done, Cousins would be paid $19.95 million in 2016.

“It takes two sides to come together and it is a big contract and it’s gonna be a long-term contract,” McCloughan told NBC Sports last week. “The years, the money and the incentives, all that stuff comes into play. But it’s ongoing. I really believe, talking with Kirk and of course myself and our organization, we want to get a long-term deal done. He wants to be here, he sees what’s going on, the positive energy, and it’s a business. It takes time these long term deals, big deals like this.”