Reid became part of the firestorm surrounding player demonstrations during the national anthem. He was, notably, the first player to kneel alongside former teammate (and current exile) Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick responded on Twitter to the news of the signing:
Congrats 2 my brother @e_reid35, all pro safety who should have been signed the 1st day of free agency, who has signed a football contract.
He was the 1ST person 2 kneel alongside me. Eric is a social justice warrior, continues to support his family. and communities in need. pic.twitter.com/TsZOaFycYT
Reid has been on Packer fans' radars for some time, especially in the wake of the poor (or, at best, inconsistent) play at the safety position out of Kentrell Brice and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to start the 2018 season.