The Green Bay Packers activate star receiver Jayden Reed from injured reserve. His return injects explosiveness, opening up the offense for Jordan Love and a playoff push.
Jayden Reed will be playing again for the Green Bay Packers.
It's been a long time since we've seen him on the field. He wasn't gone as long as Christian Watson was, but Reed has been out since Week 2, when he suffered a broken collarbone.
At the time, Reed was playing through a foot fracture, so he decided to have both injuries addressed at the same time.
Now, ahead of a massive Week 14 game against the 9-3 and NFC North-leading Chicago Bears, it's being announced that Reed will once again be a part of the Packers' offense.
Not only is Reed actived, but he's expected to play against Chicago, and that's huge news for the Packers.
Reed has been Green Bay's leading receiver for the past two seasons, and he has tremendous chemistry with quarterback Jordan Love. A 2023 second-round pick out of Michigan State, Reed is arguably Green Bay's WR1 when he's healthy.
At the very least, he has the talent to be that type of player.
"I think the playmaking ability he has in the slot is one of the better in the NFL," Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich said, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "His explosive ability, his ability to be active in the run game as well, with some other plays like that. Whenever the point is that we get him back, it definitely opens a lot of things up, for sure."
Playmaker is the best way to describe Reed.
He has the athleticism and twitchiness to get open in the slot and become a big-time YAC problem for opposing defenses. He has solid hands and a knack for getting open, and he has the kind of "get open" speed to where Matt LaFleur can put him on the outside and simply have him run downfield.
The re-introduction of Reed to this offense also helps everyone around him.
Christian Watson has been playing like a WR1 since coming back from an ACL injury, but now defenses can't just key in on him. Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks will now have more opportunities to get open and get the football, and rookie receiver Matthew Golden will lose all the pressure that's currently on him to go out there and be a playmaker. If and when he gets healthy enough to get back on the field, he can simply play football.
More than anything, though, Love now has arguably his favorite target not named Tucker Kraft back.
Reed caught 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie. In year two, he caught 55 passes for 857 yards and six touchdowns.
He's a star if he can stay healthy, and he opens up Green Bay's offense right in time for a playoff run.