Jayden Reed’s Return Could Be the Spark Green Bay’s Offense Needs Down the Stretch
The Green Bay Packers are starting to find their rhythm, and just in time, one of their most electric playmakers is back in the mix. After a rocky start to the season that included a foot injury in camp and a broken clavicle in Week 2 against the Commanders, Jayden Reed finally made his return - and wasted no time reminding everyone why he’s such a critical piece of this offense.
Reed, who led the team in receiving yards last season, stepped back onto the field Sunday in an NFC North showdown with the Bears. With Matthew Golden and Dontayvion Wicks both limited, Reed saw a healthy workload in his first action since September. He finished the day with four catches and two carries, totaling 53 yards - but the numbers only tell part of the story.
From the jump, Reed was in the game plan. Two of Jordan Love’s first three passes went his way, a clear sign that the coaching staff didn’t plan to ease him back in slowly. And while the second quarter was relatively quiet, Reed came alive in the second half, delivering multiple chunk plays of 15 yards or more and consistently moving the chains.
In fact, three of his touches resulted in first downs - the kind of timely, drive-extending plays that have been missing from Green Bay’s offense during his absence. He ended the day with the third-most receiving yards of any player on either team, a strong showing for someone who hadn’t played in nearly three months.
Head coach Matt LaFleur acknowledged Reed’s impact after the game, saying, “It was certainly great to have Jayden Reed back out there today. You could see some of the dynamic playmaking ability that he brings to our offense, [including] that critical catch on that final touchdown drive.”
That “dynamic playmaking ability” is exactly what the Packers have been missing. Reed’s speed and versatility - as both a receiver and occasional ball-carrier - add a layer of unpredictability to an offense that’s been searching for its identity. Now, with both Reed and Christian Watson back in the lineup, the Packers suddenly look a lot more dangerous.
And the timing couldn’t be better.
Green Bay has rattled off three straight wins against division opponents, and the schedule doesn’t get any easier from here. A road trip to Denver looms next, followed by a rematch with the Bears in Week 16.
If this team is going to make a legitimate playoff push, they’ll need every ounce of firepower they can muster. Reed’s return doesn’t just help - it changes the ceiling of what this offense can be.
With Reed stretching the field and Watson drawing attention on the outside, Jordan Love has more options and more space to work with. It opens up the short game, the deep game, and even helps the run game by forcing defenses to respect the perimeter. Simply put, Reed’s presence changes how defenses have to game-plan against the Packers.
We saw flashes of that on Sunday. Now the question is: can Reed stay healthy, and can this offense keep building momentum?
If the answer is yes, Green Bay might be peaking at just the right time.