The Green Bay Packers have received a long-awaited positive update on injured wide receiver Jayden Reed. The 25-year-old returned to practice on Friday, Nov. 21 for the first time since week two, when he broke his clavicle against the Washington Commanders.
Needing surgery to fix the clavicle, Reed also opted to get work done on his foot, which he had injured in training camp, giving him a 6-8 week recovery window.
Now, Reed has returned to practice for the first time in well over two months. He won’t play this weekend against Minnesota, but the official 21-day window has opened for the Packers to elevate him back to the active roster.
Reed caught three passes for 45 yards in the Packers season opener against the Detroit Lions. He didn’t register a catch against Washington before leaving with the clavicle injury.
A potential return for Reed would do wonders for Green Bay’s offense, which has been one of the most inconsistent in the NFL this season. Reed has led the Packers in receptions and receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, and caught 14 touchdowns between 2023 and 2024, his first two years in the NFL.
Packers Have Depth At WR, But Reed Would Bring Back Top-End Talent
Between Romeo Doubs, Matthew Golden, Christian Watson, and Dontayvion Wicks, depth hasn’t been a concern at the wide receiver position this season. What has been missing is a real No. 1 option for Jordan Love on the outside, especially with Watson missing six games.
In an ideal world, Green Bay would have Reed, Watson, and Doubs out on the field for a large majority of plays, only inserting Golden or Wicks when they move to a four WR formation. They haven’t had all three healthy at the same time this season though, leading to a carousel of options, none of which have proven to be great.
Still, Green Bay has managed to play it’s way to a 6-3-1 record, plenty good enough to have them in a playoff spot. But, with the Chicago Bears back atop the NFC North and a formidable schedule coming down the stretch, the Packers need to play their best football in the next six weeks.
Jayden Reed’s return would go a long way towards helping the Packers offense get back to where it should be.
Packers Battling With Chicago and Detroit For NFC North Title
The NFC North has proven to be one of the best divisions in the NFL this season. Chicago currently holds the first place spot at 7-3, though Green Bay is breathing down their necks at 6-3-1, while Detroit is just behind the Packers at 6-4.
Green Bay is just as close to overtaking Chicago as it is to getting overtaken by Detroit, San Francisco, or Carolina. With two games remaining against the Bears, one against the Lions, one against AFC leading Denver, and one against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, the schedule is certainly throwing the kitchen sink at them. If the Packers are able to tread water against this onslaught of strong opponents and find their way into the playoffs, there will be no doubts about the validity of their playoff berth.
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