Jordan Love and Jayden Reed are quietly building something electric in Green Bay. While other quarterback-receiver pairings might get more of the attention and spotlight, this duo just keeps producing. It’s not the flashiest, but it’s working — and working at a level that demands a lot more attention than it’s currently getting.
According to Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus, the Love-Reed connection ranks 12th among all quarterback-pass catcher duos in the league. The numbers explain why: "Love has posted a 126.5 passer rating when targeting Reed, and across 164 passing attempts to him over the past two seasons, he has not made a single turnover-worthy play. The duo averages almost 10 yards per passing attempt with a 9.5-yard average depth of target."
Reed’s breakout stretch has become a welcomed addition and a true foundation, and with that in place, the conversation around Green Bay’s receiver room shifts. The buzz around its newest first-round pick might exist in a deeper context now.
Jayden Reed’s rise could complicate Matthew Golden’s rookie outlook
When the Packers ended their 23-year drought, finally selecting a wide receiver in the first round, the excitement around Matthew Golden was obvious and made a lot of sense. He ran a 4.29 at the Combine and produced in big games at Texas, and he’s versatile, explosive, and carries the kind of ceiling that front offices fight over. But that buzz didn’t account for Reed — or at least not enough of him.
Reed opened his NFL career with one of the most productive rookie seasons in Packers history. He set a franchise rookie record with 64 receptions, tied for the team lead with eight touchdowns, and led the team in receiving yards with 793. He followed that up in Year 2 with 857 receiving yards and six more scores. Over his first two seasons, Reed has totaled 119 catches for 1,650 yards and 14 touchdowns.
As he enters Year 3, he’s already established a strong connection with Love and has become a central part of Green Bay’s offense. There's no reason to think he won't continue his ascension.
None of this changes Golden’s potential, but it possibly changes the expectations. He’s walking into a room with established roles and a quarterback who’s clearly found his rhythm with a receiver the league is still underrating. For a rookie, that means less margin for error. Even with the physical traits, Golden will need to win over Love quickly if he wants to carve out a real piece of the offense early.
There’s plenty of optimism surrounding Golden’s future, and rightfully so. But Reed’s connection with his star QB has shifted the dynamic. Until that changes —which could be this season — the expectations around the rookie may need to come with some patience.