Jeremy Reaves' journey from undrafted free agent to All-Pro special teams ace was one of the few success stories from Ron Rivera's time with the Washington Commanders.
Reaves was initially signed to the Commanders’ practice squad in 2018 after being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles. He lingered on the fringes of the roster for a few seasons, helped out by his ability to play both cornerback and safety, as well as his standout play on special teams.
In 2022, he was rewarded with a first-team All-Pro designation for his special teams play and parlayed that into his first million-dollar-per-year contract. This year, he has taken on a bigger role on defense, skipping over several higher-profile players on the Commanders’ roster.
Will Commanders have Jeremy Reaves around in 2026, and in what capacity?
However, the eight-year veteran turns 30 just before the start of next season. With Washington’s secondary likely to undergo some significant changes, his future role remains in doubt.
A big game in Week 18 against the Philadelphia Eagles could help bolster his chances to play another significant role for Washington's defense next season.
In his first NFL season, he played just two defensive snaps. It was 2018, and Washington had a group of veterans at safety. When some of those faltered, Reaves began his slow, steady climb up the depth chart.
He was officially listed as a free safety, but Reaves could play in the box or in the slot, and could even split out to the perimeter in a pinch. And of course, he began establishing himself as a force on special teams.
However, it was not until this season that Reaves got an extended chance to show what he could do as an every-down defender. When box safety Will Harris was hurt early on, Dan Quinn turned to the South Alabama product over Percy Butler and Tyler Owens to take over as a starter.
Reaves has performed reasonably well. He is a very active player, and his coverage skills are solid for a safety. With far more defensive snaps than at any point in his career, he has established career highs in virtually every category. The Commanders’ coverage units have struggled all season, but he has been solid, if unspectacular.
The only fly in the ointment has been a very strange one.
Reaves has missed far too many tackles. This problem has plagued the entire secondary all season long, as if some epidemic has been spreading, and he has not been immune.
He has been credited with 13 missed tackles this season, after recording just four in his last four campaigns. He is making far more tackles as well, but his rate remains at 13.4 percent, which is far too high for a safety.
When Harris returned to the lineup, Reaves initially saw his snaps drop. But he was on the field a lot last week against the Dallas Cowboys and once again, played well. Two weeks ago, against the Eagles, he missed multiple tackles again.
The Commanders have a mess at safety right now. It was supposed to be a team strength, but starter Quan Martin has struggled mightily this year. Harris is signed for one more season, as are Martin, Percy Butler, Owens, and Reaves. They are not indispensable.
Washington’s defensive coaches clearly like the way Reaves plays. A good game against Saquon Barkley, Dallas Goedert, and the rest of the Eagles could solidify his position heading into the offseason. A few more missed tackles and all bets are off.
Once again, Reaves is fighting for his job. He has usually come through in the past. We’ll see whether he is up to the task this year.