Wide receiver Jayden Reed is potentially going to have a large role for the Packers offense this weekend if Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are both out this weekend due to hamstring injuries. Heading into Week 1 before the injuries, Reed would have been the third receiver on the depth chart.
Well, his name is potentially going to be called upon sooner rather than later to produce. Another thing to watch for this weekend is that Jayden Reed’s name is going to be a hot name for fantasy football waiver wires. As a second-round pick out of Michigan State, he had to work his way up the depth chart for the Packers during training camp.
As OTAs and the summer went on, Reed overtook Samori Toure’s spot on the roster. When Jayden Reed played at Michigan State, he spent most of his time lined up on the outside but did play some inside. The Green Bay Packers loved his versatility coming out of college, and he can also be used on Jet Sweeps plays.
Jayden Reed spoke to Dairyland Express’s Paul Bretl saying about playing in the slot:
“I actually like it. Working with space, being able to attack guys, step on their toes and make a move. It’s really helping me out a lot to be able to work in space. I haven’t been able to do that in a long time and I’m enjoying it now.”
He has gone up against cornerbacks like Kiesean Nixon, Jaire Alexander, and Rasual Douglas during training camp, and Jayden Reed’s game has only gotten better because of it. Reed is very versatile, but one of the things Packers fans will not like about him is that he had a case of dropping passes during the summer, and he will need to overcome those this weekend if Doubs and Watson are both inactive.
General manager Brian Gutekunst believes Reed has more room to grow, and he said to Dairyland Express:
“Jayden, again, played a lot of football in college. He’s just very, very polished for a young player. Has a lot of room to grow as well. But I think, you guys have seen it, he’s able to play inside, able to play outside, for a guy who is not typically big as we go after at wide receiver, he’s able to go up and make plays like a bigger man. He’s really done a nice job in all phases as a wide receiver but on special teams as well. He’s got a bright future ahead of him. A lot of room for growth but a bright future there.”
Jayden Reed Is Going to Help Out the Packers’ Offense
During the 2021 and 2022 seasons in the BIG10 Conference with the Michigan State Spartans, Jayden Reed led the conference in contested catch situations. This is going to help out the Packers offense a lot, especially if quarterback Jordan Love is going to make tight throws. Reed is also a very fast player and ran a 4.37 40-yard dash at the NFL combine, and Christian Watson ran a 4.36 when coming out of college at North Dakota State (Bison).
Reed is going to be a great weapon for this football team because he can do so many different things well. Jayden Reed being versatile is going to help this offense. Playing on the outside potentially will be nothing new to him. Gutekunst also said about Reed to the media:
“He’s got excellent hands. Body control. Balance. The ability to create seperation on his own. He’s fast, he’s got very. very, very good speed. But for us, the one thing that kind of separated him was his ability to catch the contested ball. For 5’11”-190, his ability to go up against big corners and take the ball away was unique for a guy his size, and certaintly the special teams return ability and run after the catch was a factor as well.”
Jayden Reed being the number one receiver is something he is capable of doing. The Packers would prefer if they had everyone healthy, and they will still use him in many different ways no matter what and will be this football team’s x-factor this season.