The Packers witness sparks fly as a dynamic playmaker returns, hinting that his peak is still ahead.QQ
Wide receiver Jayden Reed was immediately impactful after returning from a shoulder injury.
It’s good to have good players. On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers finally had Jayden Reed back after the former second-round wide receiver missed 10 games with a broken collarbone, and he had an immediate impact on the offense.
Despite a limited workload, Reed finished his first game back with four catches for 31 yards and two carries for 22 yards. More than the numbers themselves, the moments of those plays were ideal — including a big reception on the final offensive drive, a key to the Packers’ 28-21 win over the Chicago Bears.
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“It was certainly great to have Jayden Reed back out there,” head coach Matt LaFleur said. “You can see some of the dynamic playmaking ability that he brings to our offense, obviously with that critical catch on that final touchdown drive. I think all those guys are certainly capable of making plays, and you’d like to have 100 plays in a game so they can each have five to seven touches.”
The Packers know they will get more out of Jayden Reed
Jayden Reed was tied with Christian Watson for the most receptions in the game, an obvious early sign of how much they trust him. The good thing is that it wasn’t a soft-tissue injury, so his limitations shouldn’t linger. And Jordan Love knows Reed can be even more impactful down the stretch.
“Big time,” Love mentioned about Reed’s return. “He makes some big time plays. I think there’s still more out there that we could have got him involved in. But yeah, he’s just a playmaker. He had that very clutch catch on that last drive. And he’s another threat that the defense has to be aware of. And we did some cool things. We ended up getting him on some all-arounds and some sweeps. But he’s just a playmaker. He makes plays when the ball is coming his way.”
Jayden Reed is an explosive horizontal threat. But especially since tight end Tucker Kraft is out for the season with a knee injury, Reed is likely the only player on the roster with a similar capacity to gain yards after the catch with the same fluidity.
The Packers already have an efficient offense. However, Jayden Reed getting back can be the unit in a higher dimension for the final few weeks of the season.
