It’s an understatement to say the Green Bay Packers’ wide receiver room is young and inexperienced. We all know that. Like many of his teammates, Jayden Reed is young and inexperienced, but that’s not going to stop him from getting snaps at camp and during the season.
The rookie wide receiver from Michigan State balled out in his senior season despite poor quarterback play. The Packers took him a little earlier in the draft than most draft gurus had him mocked, but analysts like his fit in Green Bay. Reed will have a chance to make an immediate impact. So what would a successful rookie season even look like for him?
If we take a look back at the freshmen under Matt LaFleur, we can see that it does not take much to really stick out as a Packers rookie.
Last year, Christian Watson rocked the Packers’ world when he put up over 600 yards on 41 receptions with seven touchdowns. The other standout rookie was Romeo Doubs, who caught 42 passes while amassing 425 yards and three touchdowns. Samori Toure only had 82 yards on 10 catches as a rookie, but he worked hard in practice and earned high praise from coaches. He is currently in line for the third receiver spot. Whether it was due to inactivity or injury, none of these guys played in all 17 games.
Watson is the No. 1 in the room and played at his best at the end of the season. If he can keep it going, who knows how good he could be? Doubs should be a consistent threat on the outside while Toure works from the slot.
There was not really any other notable rookie under LaFleur who is still on the roster. The projected wide receiver group is entirely first- or second-year players.
Coaches and players have spoken highly of Jayden Reed’s play, especially about his speed. Reed has confidence in himself, and his temperament is obvious in interviews. He’s been getting all the reps with the first team in camp, and the coaches are putting him in a position to showcase what he can do.
It’s hard not to look at Reed and think about Amari Rodgers, another former Packers receiver who they took in the third round of the 2021 draft. Rodgers only caught four passes in his rookie season and struggled to find playing time in Green Bay. The Houston Texans claimed him, and he showed signs of progression. He caught 12 balls in Houston for 150 yards and a score. Did the Packers make a mistake letting go of Rodgers? Time will tell.
But Rodgers’ struggles in Green Bay don’t mean that Reed will suffer the same fate. Instead, the Packers could look at Rodgers and resolve, “Let’s not do that again.” If they don’t want Reed to end up like Rodgers, they will have to treat him differently.
And I think they will.
We’ve already seen them put Reed with the first-teamers and give him immediate reps. He also doesn’t have that much veteran competition. The older players on the roster only have one more year of experience than him. Sammy Watkins, Randall Cobb, and Devin Funchess are no longer around to take reps from the young guys.
Reed was a good return man in college. The Packers could use him in that role to try to get him on the field, but they should still be using him at receiver. Reed did a lot of work from the slot in college, and that’s where he will most likely find himself in the NFL. At least at the start.
The Packers have an opening at that spot, and while the coaches like Toure a lot, he’s still a seventh-round pick with less than 100 yards to his name. The pedigree of being a second-round draft selection will help Reed see the field sooner. More is expected of him, and he will get more chances to prove it.
A season similar to Doubs’ rookie campaign would be a solid year for Reed in 2023. If he can haul in at least 30 balls and put up over 300 yards, he could begin to establish a role for himself on the offense that he could expand in 2024 and beyond. Anything more would be great.
Jayden Reed is in a unique position for a young NFL receiver. He’s not joining a typical receiver room, and the Packers are giving him a chance to make a mark right away. Green Bay’s hopes are high that his fate does not end up the same as their former receivers with the same build. Reed has to make the most of his chances, but they will be there.
The play will speak for itself.
