The Green Bay Packers' season has been largely disappointing. Now 3-6 after a brutal loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 10, the fanbase has come to terms with the state of the rebuild. Green Bay has a long way to go before contention is a viable expectation.
That said, it hasn't been all bad. Sure, the Jordan Love experience is mixed at best. Christian Watson's sophomore slump has been a huge disappointment, and the defense under Joe Barry gives strong 'Matt Canada, but defense' vibes. And, despite all that, there are bright spots. Few more so than rookie WR Jayden Reed.
Green Bay's offense ranks 21st in yards per game. There have been flashes of Love's alleged arm talent, but he's an inconsistent decision-maker who tends to operate more conservatively than fans expected after his standout preseason.
In an offense defined by letdowns, Reed has been a blazing beacon of hope. He's one of the best offensive rookies in football, fresh off five receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown against the Steelers' staunch defense.
A second-round pick out of Michigan State, Reed built his NFL Draft case on speed and elusive route-running. That has translated immediately to the next level. As Packers senior writer Wes Hodkiewicz notes, Reed has seven receptions of 30-plus yards this season, which ranks second in the NFL behind only Miami Dolphins MVP candidate Tyreek Hill (nine).
Packers' Jayden Reed ranks behind only Tyreek Hill in explosive pass-catching stat
It speaks volumes that Reed has accomplished that number despite the uninspired performance of his QB. Love isn't afraid of the occasional deep bomb, but the Packers' offense generally operates close to the first-down marker.
Reed is not only catching the ball further down field than his Green Bay contemporaries (10.4 yards before catch per reception), but he's racking up yards after the catch (4.4 yards after catch per reception). He doesn't quite match Tyreek Hill on yards after the catch (5.9), but Reed averages more yards before the catch than Hill (and Ja'Marr Chase, and A.J. Brown, and CeeDee Lamb).
He's a legitimate big-play weapon and probably the Packers' best wideout as a rookie. There's a lot of valid concern about Green Bay's immediate future, with even the front office unwilling to commit to Love beyond 2023. But, Reed is a dude, and he's going to have a central place in the Packers' offense for years to come.
He may never ascend to the individual, MVP-level heights of a player like Hill, but that's far from the bar for success. The Packers selected Reed as a utility wideout who could line up all over the field. He has been much more than a nifty WR3 or WR4 as expected. With 45 targets, he lands behind only Romeo Doubs (59) on the Packers' offensive pecking order. Reed is a favorite target of Love, and if the Packers do stick with the 25-year-old currently under center, it will be in part because of the chemistry Love has with Green Bay's young offensive weapons.