49ers' Reid expects teams to snub him in free agency after anthem protests
San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid, one of many NFL players who protested racial inequality and a close friend and former teammate of quarterback Colin Kaepernick, says he's prepared for teams to shun him in free agency.
"I would say I understand that's a possibility," Reid told ESPN's Nick Wagoner. "And I'm completely fine with it. The things that I've done, I stand by, and I've done that for my own personal beliefs. Like I said, I'm fine with whatever outcome happens because of that."
Reid added that while he's anticipating some disinterest, he's holding out hope he'll be able to play somewhere next season.
"It's a possibility," he said of teams refusing to negotiate with him. "There are probably teams that won't want to talk to me because of it. I'm hopeful that I will be on a team next year, but if not, again, that's OK with me."
The 26-year-old became the first player to kneel alongside Kaepernick prior to a preseason game last year, and continued for the entirety of 2016. Leading up to the 2017 season, he planned on standing, but in light of the events in Charlottesville, went back to kneeling in the 49ers' third preseason game onward.
The 2013 first-round draft pick has played his entire five-year career with the 49ers, earning a Pro Bowl selection in his rookie year.