How high is Jayden Reed's ceiling?
As a rookie, Jayden Reed led the Packers in catches and receiving yards. After such an impressive NFL debut, how much more can the undersized wideout grow?
As the Green Bay Packers stamped their playoff ticket with a win over the Chicago Bears last Sunday, the spotlight fixated on Jordan Love. The 25-year-old signal-caller had just completed one of the finest performances of his young career, removing any lingering doubt as to whether the team had found its next franchise quarterback.
But for all the deserved accolades heaped on Love that night, another young playmaker delivered a signature game of his own: Packers rookie wideout Jayden Reed.
By the numbers alone, Reed's performance against the Bears stands as one of the best by a Green Bay rookie pass catcher since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. His 112 receiving yards trails only outings by Davante Adams (2014), Lee Morris (1987), and Sterling Sharpe (1988). Reed's 28 yards per target from Sunday also rank No. 1 in franchise history for a rookie thrown at multiple times in a given week.
And Reed's play looks even more impressive when considering the larger context. Wideout Christian Watson missed his fifth straight week with a hamstring injury. Romeo Doubs, the "veteran" of the receiving corps, left in the first quarter with a chest issue that required a trip to the hospital. With the receiving corps essentially down to a few and former practice-squad member Bo Melton, Reed had to take on the lead role. If not for him coming up big, the Packers probably don't notch the victory and clinch the NFL's final wild-card spot.
"First year, rookie season, through all the ups and downs, all the hard work we put in, it just feels great to get what we deserve," Reed said of the Packers qualifying for the playoffs.
Reed's stellar game capped off a remarkable rookie year, one in which the former Michigan State standout stepped into a starting role almost immediately and never relinquished the job. His 64 catches shattered the Sterling Sharpe's record for most receptions by a Packers rookie. Reed's 795 receiving yards trail only Billy Howton and James Lofton's output in their NFL debut campaigns. Additionally, Reed's 10 total touchdowns made him just the third rookie in franchise history to hit double-digit scores.
All of which begs the question: What type of receiver can Reed become and how high is his ceiling?
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