Four weeks into the season, Jayden Reed looked on course for a Pro Bowl year. He showed star potential as a rookie, and the Green Bay Packers had seemingly made him a focal point of their offense.
After the opening four games, Reed was on pace for 1,428 receiving yards, nine receiving touchdowns, 387 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns.
It's understandable that Packers receivers will have quiet games due to the depth the team has at the position. There are days when Christian Watson or Romeo Doubs will take off and dominate the targets, which is great. What's unacceptable is Reed becoming a forgotten player. He is far too talented to touch the ball as infrequently as we've seen in the second half of the season.
It's not a recent problem, either. Reed's target share has decreased since the Packers' bye week.
Jayden Reed stats before and after Packers' bye week
The Packers took their bye in Week 10. Reed's numbers before and after that date are notable, especially his average targets and total yards per game (YPG).
Weeks | Avg. Targets | YPG |
|---|---|---|
1-9 | 5.2 | 81.1 |
11-17 | 2.4 | 34.1 |
His touchdown rate has stayed consistent — Reed found the end zone four times in the opening nine games and three times in the seven contests since. But the Packers need to give him a featured role, and it sounds like they finally agree.
Packers' Adam Stenavich says there is an emphasis to get Jayden Reed the ball
Reed has averaged fewer than 13 receiving yards over the past four games, and the Packers know they need to get him more involved. Offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich spoke about the importance of getting the ball to the former second-round receiver, per Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
#Pakcers OC Adam Stenavich says there is an emphasis on ensuring Jayden Reed gets his touches: "You're always trying to get him the ball. He's one of those guys who can, as you've seen, he can make a lot of special plays."
— Ryan Wood (@ByRyanWood) January 2, 2025
Reed also needs to play better when the opportunities come. He has a surprisingly high drop rate of 15.9 percent, which must improve. However, a possible way to counteract that is to find easy touches for Reed early in the game to help him find rhythm and get comfortable.
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Reed is phenomenal after the catch and can make a significant impact for this offense. We saw it last year and in the first half of this season.
No matter how they do it, the Packers must feature Reed moving forward. Defenses have enough to worry about with Josh Jacobs. Reed can make an impact in so many ways, and his ability to make game-changing plays can't be ignored.