Garrett Wilson was discussing the challenges the Lions present, from their explosive offense to their playmakers on defense.
Then, he smiled as he mentioned one of their cornerbacks, former Jets teammate D.J. Reed. His presence adds another layer — an emotional one — to Sunday’s meeting in Detroit.
“That’ll be a fun matchup, getting to go against one of my great friends from early on in my career,” Wilson said after Thursday’s practice.
“He was just competitive as hell, and we would talk about it after. I can’t imagine we do much talking after this week,” the standout Jets receiver later added.
Reed played a pivotal role early in Wilson’s NFL career. Their first summer together in 2022, they battled each other in training camp and became fast friends.
Reed had worked his way up the NFL ladder, from being a fifth-round draft pick to signing a three-year, $33 million deal with the Jets in 2022. Wilson was a first-round draft pick who learned a great deal about hard work and perseverance from Reed’s professional journey.
“We ended up being locker neighbors, two lockers down from me. The banter we would have, the conversations, he was someone who beat the odds, honestly,” Wilson said. “He was undrafted, got to Seattle and worked his way up the depth chart, and all of a sudden he was a mainstay, cornerback No. 1. Stuff like that doesn’t happen by accident.
“As a young guy, I might not have known what I know now, but I still knew it was special. He was a great friend. Every time we [faced each other], he would have something to say about how I could make it better, or ‘G., that was a great route.’ Just stuff like that I appreciate and have held on to this point.”
This will mark the first time the two friends see one another as opponents. In his third season with the Lions, Reed is off to a solid start. According to Pro Football Focus, he has registered a 65.4 defensive grade, which ranks 35th among 96 qualified cornerbacks. In two games, Wilson has 11 catches for 136 yards and a touchdown. He has, however, been targeted just 14 times, a number the Jets would like to see increase.
There is a fine balance between forcing the ball to Wilson and not throwing it to him enough. Opposing teams are obviously looking to take him away.
“Watching the film for me, I thought I did what was asked,” Wilson said of the loss to the Packers, in which he had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. “For me, just keep chopping. That’s the mentality and things are going to shake out how they shake out.”
The Jets are going to need more out of their offense to pull the upset against the Lions, who boast one of the premier attacks in the NFL. The Jets were held to 10 points in the second half and overtime by the Packers in a frustrating defeat. But Detroit’s defense has struggled, allowing a combined 71 points through two weeks against the Saints and Bills. The potential for a big Wilson game is there.
He will be very familiar with the cornerback defending him. Then again, Reed knows Wilson well, too.
So, who has the advantage?
“It helps both of us. It’s one of those things where you have an idea what you’re getting into. It’s not uncharted waters,” Wilson said. “From that point on, it’s how you adjust, who’s gotten better in those two years that we haven’t been together, and who plays the game within the game better on Sunday.
“I’m looking forward to it. Great person, great player, and I expect to have a great matchup on Sunday with him.”
