The 65 miles between Justin Reid's birth city (Prairieville, La.) and his new work city (New Orleans) might as well not exist.

The seven-year safety, an unrestricted free agent who agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Saints, understands exactly what it means to be a Louisiana kid playing in the NFL for the home state team.

"You grew up watching the Saints," Reid said Friday, during his introductory news conference. "Everyone remembers (when the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV in) 2009, what that did for the entire state of Louisiana. I've got friends that have entire rooms enshrined to that moment.

"So every kid in Louisiana dreams about playing for the Saints. As you go through this journey, you don't know if it's going to happen or not, but I had an opportunity to make that dream come true.

"I know what it means to this city to play for the Saints, and what having a winning organization means for everyone in Louisiana. And that's extremely motivating.

"Like, do everything we can to bring back that winning culture, because we have the talent. We have so much talent on this team and it's all just putting it together the right way, and guys believing in the system. And I believe."

That belief swings both ways, as New Orleans was able to lure in one of the top unrestricted free agents on the market.

Reid helped Kansas City win Super Bowls LVII and LVIII, and to advance to Super Bowl LIX in 2024. Last season he started all 16 games he played and led the secondary with 85 tackles, with five tackles for loss, two interceptions and nine pass breakups. In three playoff games he totaled 19 tackles, one tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

Reid will enter his eighth season with 10 interceptions, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, 46 passes defensed, 23 tackles for loss, 17 quarterback hits and 580 tackles.

"I was talking to (the family entering free agency) and I was letting them know that, hey, there's a possibility that I could end up signing with the Saints," Reid said. "And then my text message thread with the family chat just started blowing up, like, 'Sign with the Saints, sign with the Saints.'

"Definitely had that push there, and then we were able to get a deal put together on the table and got it worked out, and both sides are really excited about it.

"It's surreal at first, but it's fun because the moment happens, you build excitement and it really takes, like, a day. That second day when I woke up the next morning and I knew I was a Saint was when it really hit home, like, 'This is happening now.'"

Now, there's the matter of getting down to the business of his usage in the Saints' defensive scheme under coordinator Brandon Staley.

"He runs a 3-4 defense but he mixes things up," Reid said. "I love that. Not everything is the same thing over and over. He allows guys to be versatile, and I see myself as a versatile player that can play in a lot of different positions and cause some problems for an offense. So, I'm excited to be a weapon for him and go execute the defense in his vision."

Reid also has familiarity with Saints first-year head coach Kellen Moore, who was Staley's offensive coordinator with the Chargers in 2023 and was offensive coordinator for the Eagles in 2024; the Eagles beat Kansas City 40-22 in Super Bowl LIX.

"Obviously, he's been successful everywhere he has been and I know the type of guy he is, the type of roster that they want to be and for me to be able to come in and be another piece to add to the weapons that we already have in the building, especially on the defense," Reid said.

"Play another year with T5 (safety Tyrann Mathieu), got that reunion going on. Play with (defensive end) Cam Jordan, (linebacker) Demario Davis, (defensive end) Chase Young – all the stars that we have, all the developing young talent. I think that we have a lot of momentum going and that we can really build something special, and I just see nothing but opportunity and blue skies for us and where we can take this organization."

Reid especially appeared enthused to cross paths with Mathieu again. The two played one season together (2018) in Houston, and Reid was one step behind Mathieu in Kansas City: The former was a Chief from 2022-24; the latter, from 2019-21.

"We already have experience with each other," Reid said. "Tyrann is a savvy vet; every offense needs to know where he's at because he'll just show up and steal a ball some type of way.

"I see myself as a physical tone-setter. A guy who's going to come down the hallway with me, you're going to pay the toll for it. And we just compliment each other really well; we have a strong line of communication, both cerebral players, can organize a defense. It's gonna be fun."