Offensive lineman Jah Reid agrees to three-year extension with Chiefs

The Chiefs signed offensive tackle Jah Reid to a three-year extension on Thursday, a source told The Star.

The Chiefs signed Reid, 27, as a free agent prior to the season opener in early September, after he’d been released by the Baltimore Ravens.

Since then, he’s been the primary starter at right tackle for the surging Chiefs, who have won seven straight games and are 8-5 entering their game Sunday at Baltimore against the Ravens, Reid’s former team.

“Jah (Reid) has been a good pickup for us, just from the standpoint of we got banged up upfront there, and so he was thrown in, kind of, in the action his first week here against the Texans,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Wednesday on a conference call with Baltimore media. “A couple games after that, he played, and then he had a little hiatus there, where he didn’t play; and we’ve had to bring him back here. So, he has been very valuable to us from that respect.”

Reid, who is listed as 6 feet 7 and 340 pounds, was selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Ravens. Prior to joining the Chiefs, he dressed in 39 games with seven starts during his four-year career, with his last start coming in 2012.

“He works hard, he has been well-coached — there are not a lot of line coaches as good as Juan Castillo,” Andy Reid said. “So, we were able to get a guy that had been well-coached and wanted an opportunity. He kind of got thrown into the fire right away, but he has done a good job.”

This year, Reid has played in eight of the Chiefs’ 12 games, all at right tackle, all starts. He also has appeared at right guard, left guard and left tackle during his career, possessing the versatility the Chiefs prefer in their linemen.

“He’s tough and gritty in there,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “So that entire group, I feel like, (has) a good thing going on upfront. He’s a big part of that, just with his mindset and the attention to detail that he brings to the position.”

Terms of the extension were not immediately available, but Reid’s presence should give the team flexibility this offseason.

Should they choose to fortify the right-tackle spot with a young draft pick, Reid can provide competition and give the Chiefs an experienced starting option, if necessary. Should they sign a free agent as his position, he can also provide depth along four of the five spots along the offensive line.

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Offensive lineman Jah Reid agrees to three-year extension with Chiefs."